Brandin Podziemski's third season might just be the charm

Can Podz stay head and shoulders above a crowded Dubs guard rotation to make the impact we believe he can?

Brandin Podziemski’s preseason has been a microcosm of his identity: fearless, uneven, and undeniably intriguing. Through four games, he’s averaged 10 points, 3 rebounds, and just under 5 assists in roughly 21 minutes per night. That’s flashes of rhythm wrapped in the chaos of experimentation. His shot has swung from a 1-for-9 clunker most recently in Portland to a 23-point outburst against the Lakers that showcased the full spectrum of his shot-making and playmaking potential.

In short, he looks like a player trying to level up, not coast. Every possession this preseason has felt like a live audition for Year Three: the year when players stop getting graded on potential and start getting judged on impact.

And that’s exactly how Podziemski wants it.

Because behind the stat lines and shot charts lies a young guard who spent the offseason reconstructing both body and mindset. After undergoing two surgeries (a left wrist debridement in May and a core muscle repair in June), the 22-year-old entered camp fully healthy and more self-assured than ever. The uncertainty of Year Two has been replaced with conviction — not just that he belongs, but that he’s next.

“When they leave this thing, they’ve got to leave it with somebody,” Podziemski told The Athletic. “How can I have their trust so they can go to Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy and say, ‘He’s going to continue what we’re leaving.’”

That’s not role-player talk. That’s succession-plan talk. THAT’S WHAT WE THOUGHT JORDAN POOLE WAS GONNA SAY.

That quote hit like a flare across Warriors Twitter. Not because of arrogance, but because it revealed how he’s thinking. Podziemski isn’t just trying to earn rotation minutes. He’s auditioning for the torch. Even Mike Dunleavy admitted on 95.7 The Game that the front office loves his ambition; though he tempered expectations: “We like that he believes in himself… but the focus is on winning now.”

Translation: the Warriors want him to dream big, but they’re not handing him the keys yet. To understand what he’s becoming, you have to see where he’s already been. Brandin Podziemski’s sophomore year wasn’t a steady climb. It was turbulence, recalibration, and ignition. He went from “rotation piece” to “maybe more”. His stats: 64 games, 26.8 minutes, 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, on 45% shooting and 37% from three.

October and November were humbling. He shot under 40% from the field, barely cracked 20% from deep, and saw his minutes dip from nearly 30 to just over 20. By December, things steadied. The shot started to fall (over 40% from three), but the overall impact stayed muted. Through the All-Star break, he averaged 9.7 points on 43% shooting and 32% from three.

After the All-Star break, Podziemski started playing like he’d finally caught up to himself. The decision-making tightened, the rebounding became elite for his size, and the confidence never wavered. Check out his post-All-Star splits:

• Around 30 minutes per game

• 15.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists

• 46.5% from the field, 43.8% from deep, 80% from the line

That’s not a hot streak; that’s a skill set catching up to belief.
By March, he was averaging about 14 a night and shooting over 43% from three. In April, he broke out completely: 17.4 points on 50% shooting and 48% from deep.

When the playoffs came around, Podz made his first trip to the fiery cauldron of banner chasing basketball. Across two rounds, he averaged 11.3 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists on 36.4% shooting from the field and 32.8% from deep. Against Houston, he had flashes that looked like future-star stuff, particularly 26 points on 6-of-11 shootingfrom deep in Game 4.

Then came Minnesota, where the tests got harder. The Wolves’ length and physicality forced him into tough nights (1-for-10, 3-for-14, 1-for-7), but he also responded with resilience. In the final game of the season, he erupted for 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, 4-of-6 from deep, the kind of fearless performance that makes you forget the box scores that came before it.

That’s the story of the postseason: uneven execution, but unmistakable growth.
He took his hits, learned what playoff defenses really look like, and now has an opportunity to show what he’s learned.

That April version, that 17-points-on-50%/48% shooting version is the player the Warriors hope shows up from October to April this time around.

Just for kicks and giggles, how does does Podziemski’s path stack up against those who came before him? Let’s zoom out to another GSW guard who spent his first two seasons learning from Steph Curry.

Hmmm, interesting. Now for the tricky part: the rotation. Golden State’s backcourt is stacked like a San Francisco hill.

• Stephen Curry — the sun.

• Jimmy Butler — toggling between wing and guard.

• Buddy Hield — instant offense and spacing.

• De’Anthony Melton — the two-way balance piece.

• Moses Moody — the long-term bet.

• Gary Payton II — the defensive wild card.

• Seth Curry — veteran insurance.

Podziemski has carved a lane as the connective tissue, the guard who can play 1 through 3, rebound like a wing, and read the game like a vet.
But in this crowd, I don’t know if minutes aren’t inherited. If he keeps doing what he did after the break in stretching defenses, rebounding like a big, and moving the ball decisively? he’ll force Kerr’s hand. If not, he risks blending into the rotation instead of standing out from it.

The Warriors absolutely need a bridge between the dynasty and what comes next.
Curry’s brilliance shines bright, but his prime minutes can’t last forever. Someone has to learn how to keep the fire burning without burning out. That’s where Podziemski’s swagger becomes his advantage. He’s not intimidated by expectations; he’s fueled by them. He’s got the work ethic, the IQ, and the defiance that made the original Splash Brothers great even if his path to that level looks different.

Year Three is his crucible. If he can carry that April version of confidence, efficiency, and fearlessness into the full 82, the conversation changes. He stops being “the next guy up” and starts being the guy who’s already here.

Because dynasties don’t die; they evolve.
And if you squint, you can already see the torchlight reflecting off Podziemski’s curls. This is his audition to become the next Splash Brother:
not by imitation, but by evolution.