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Brandin Podziemski is getting a taste of what he has apparently wanted.
He’s not quite ready for it.
The 23-year-old has been eager to have the ball in his hands more, to prove that he can be a lead creator, to foreshadow how he can usher in the eventual next chapter of Warriors basketball. (opens in new tab) Steph Curry’s absence has afforded him that opportunity over the past seven weeks.
It has been up and down. Most recently: down.
This road trip has been rough for the young guard. In the first five contests of this six-game trip, he has shot 36% from the field and 23.1% from deep while recording nearly as many turnovers (12) as assists (18).
The sample is emblematic of how much of a struggle it has been for Podziemski as the go-to guy.
“This is a great experience for Brandin,” head coach Steve Kerr said Saturday in Atlanta. “I mean, 20 games without Steph.”
There have been some impressive moments for Podziemski, no doubt. He registered consecutive 15-rebound games at the end of February, including in a win over Denver. After a 25-point, 10-rebound performance against the Timberwolves, I asked him what he’s learned about himself in this window of opportunity — one he called a blessing in disguise.
“(That) I can do it,” Podziemski answered.
Well, sure. But not quite enough.
Realistically, a player of Podziemski’s background and prestige — he was the 19th overall pick and lacks many physical tools players usually need to be effective primary options — shouldn’t be ridiculed for failing to handle a full offensive initiator’s load for an extended period of time. That’s something he put on himself with his myriad of public displays of confidence.
Such a role is what All-Star caliber players can handle. Podziemski, at least now, is not close to that.
To be clear, Podziemski has been a good player from the minute he entered the league. He takes charges, makes extra passes, and rebounds exceptionally well for his position. The past several weeks have been a chance for him to prove that he’s more than that, that his ceiling is higher than his strong foundation.
But he didn’t take the elevator up in this window. Squint and it looks like he’s taking an elliptical, pushing hard for gains but really just walking in place.
Podziemski’s most recent performance, in Golden State’s blowout loss to the Hawks, was one of his least impactful as a pro. He went 2-for-6 for five points and had three turnovers in 24 minutes. His team needed him to pick up scoring slack, and he could barely get a shot off.
2 days ago
5 days ago
Friday, Mar. 13
The night before in Detroit wasn’t much better. It’s no coincidence that those games have come against elite perimeter defenders in Ausar Thompson and Dyson Daniels.
Usually, Curry draws those assignments.
Kerr saying this stretch has been a great experience for Podziemski was just the table-setter for a load-bearing quote. There’s a lot to unpack. Bear with him.
“I think where he is in his career, he’s proven he can help drive winning,” Kerr said. “I think that’s been apparent. He does a lot of things that can help drive winning. He is, in my mind, really exploring how good he can become and what type of player he wants to become. And I think you’ve seen lots of hiccups along the way, where he’s trying things that aren’t working, but playing without Steph for 20 games is going to expose some of that.”
What it has clearly exposed is that Podziemski — at least at the moment — isn’t suited to be more than a secondary offensive option on a nightly basis. He’s not a consistent enough creator or scorer to warrant initiating offense over and over again in the halfcourt.
Again, this doesn’t mean he’s a bad player. He has the highest cumulative plus-minus on the team since his career began.
Podziemski has the highest plus-minus of any Warriors player since he entered the NBA in 2023. | Source: Brandon Dill/Associated Press
The context behind those successful minutes is that Podziemski was usually playing alongside Curry or another primary creator, allowing him to play off the ball. He’s much more capable when he’s taking spot-up 3s; running through a catch or otherwise attacking closeouts; or initiating second-side actions in which an advantage has already been generated. He’s less comfortable running high pick and roll with three or four sets of eyes on him, driving into traffic and decel-stepping before making a decision (a reliable floater could go a long way for him).
He definitely wasn’t making clutch decisions like he was in Madison Square Garden.
Since Curry went down, the theory of Podziemski struggling as a lead guard has been vindicated. Podziemski has averaged 14.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, and 1.9 turnovers per game while shooting 42.1% from the floor and 32% from deep. With higher volume, his efficiency has nose-dived.
Don’t believe the numbers? Allow Kerr to explain.
“So in my mind right now, where he is: if he’s playing off of Steph, off of the ball, if he’s playing more of a secondary ball-handler role, he’s really good,” the head coach said. “He does a lot of things that a lot of players don’t do. He’s got a knack. When he tries to be too on-ball, you see him get into some trouble. You see the warts.”
Before Curry went down, Podziemski’s 3-point shooting percentage on pull-ups was about as even as his catch-and-shoot accuracy. It was perhaps the most encouraging data point that he could take on a higher scoring volume.
But now, Podziemski is shooting 38.6% off the catch and 32.3% off the dribble. The harder the shots have become, the more his splits have diverged.
A couple summers ago, Joe Lacob said he believed Podziemski has All-Star potential (opens in new tab). Podziemski might eventually prove him right, but his play without Curry makes that claim seem far-fetched.
It doesn’t look like Podziemski’s going to be a star. Just like most 19th picks. A helpful framing device is to watch Podziemski more as a late first-round pick still discovering his own game than one who wants to insert himself into Team USA discussions (opens in new tab). The mistakes make more sense. The winning plays pop. The growing pains are understandable rather than disqualifying.
“This is all part of being a young player,” Kerr said. “And I think for him, he has to sort through all of that and the idea of what it means to be on a team. Explore this stuff, explore your own game, while also trying to help the team win. That’s a complex thing. So this is a very interesting time for him, for sure.”
An interesting time, indeed. A revealing one, too.
How would you evaluate Brandin Podziemski’s performance during Stephen Curry’s absence? Let us know in the comments, a new feature exclusively for SF Standard members.