The Golden State Warriors are being swarmed to trade away one of their brightest young talents this season.
Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski is having a down season
Warriors second-year shooting guard Brandin Podziemski is off to a slow start to the 2023-24 NBA campaign. He’s averaging 7.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Podziemski’s raw stats are not much worse than last season when he finished No. 5 in the Rookie of the Year voting. However, his efficiency is way down. The 21-year-old is converting only 38 percent of his field goal attempts and 24.7 percent of his three-point opportunities.
Fans are calling for Warriors to trade Podziemski
Noticeably struggling to connect from downtown and get to his spots, fans of the franchise see it fit for Golden State to look for what they can get in return for Podziemski in the trade market.
A Warriors supporter had this to say on X about wanting the Dubs to deal “Podz” away (h/t Blue Man Hoop’s Peter O’Keefe):
“TRADE BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI HE IS JUST NOT THE PLAYER WE THOUGHT HE WAS LAST YEAR!” The user posted on Thursday, Dec. 12.
Warriors could stay active in the trade market before the deadline
Golden State kicked off trade season by sending De’Anthony Melton and three future second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for dynamic point guard Dennis Schroder and a second-rounder. Following that upgrade, the Warriors could floor the gas by offering the Santa Clara product to sellers in the open market for help at center or for a volume scorer that can boost their bench.
Podziemski has a great feel for the game, a natural rhythm, and the potential to be a notable player in the NBA. Nevertheless, the Warriors’ window to win one or more championships in the Stephen Curry and Draymond Green era is closing with the 36 and 34-year-olds nearing the twilights of their careers. Thus, it is to be expected that management will continue to be aggressive in fine-tuning their roster for a Finals run next spring.
