Brandin Podziemski (2) of the Golden State Warriors scores against Nick Richards (4) of the Charlotte Hornets in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Are the Warriors serious?
Does this team want to be in the mix to win the Western Conference next season?
Because, again, there’s only one way for that to happen: the team needs to sign Utah forward Lauri Markkanen.
And by all indications, that trade is there for the taking.
I wish they could do it.
As of this weekend, there’s a new holdup: The Warriors are making Brandin Podziemski a deal-breaker. According to The Athletic and NBA Insider’s Marc Stein, if Podz is in the deal with Utah, there won’t be a deal.
Yes, the Dubs really, really, really like the second-year player from Santa Clara.
And who wouldn’t like that?
He’s a multi-talented guy, a guy with positive energy, a young man who plays high court and always seems to be on the court. He’s a rock-solid role player.
Or, put simply, it’s something every good team needs: a glue.
But what holds San Francisco together?
All the Warriors have done in the offseason is reshuffle the deck chairs of SS Mediocre. And even that has taken a lot of effort.
The team’s biggest problem last season — the problem that left them as the last team to make the postseason (or whatever the play-in tournament is called), allowing them to win two and a half extra quarters of basketball — has not been solved. This team still lacks a viable second offensive option alongside Curry.
And until that issue is resolved, all the positive press and good vibes emanating from the Chase Center ring hollow.
The Warriors had a problem and they still haven’t fixed it. And I can tell you that plenty of other teams in a busy Western Conference identified their problems and did the best they could to rectify them during the offseason. (Except the two LA teams, great job, guys!)
Kuminga isn’t No. 2. Not yet. Maybe never. (And he’s about to get expensive.)
Andrew Wiggins isn’t the No. 2 pick either. I’m convinced his 2022 playoff appearance was a mirage.
But no one has seriously suggested that Podziemski could take on that role. Not now, not ever.
Sorry, Joe Lacob, but Podz is not “A future All-Star.” Be serious.
Markkanen is an All-Star, though. He’s also No. 2. Oh, and he’s available today, which means he can help Steph Curry make something of his final NBA seasons.
What else matters?
It should also be noted that Markkanen is the only viable No. 2 available to the Warriors right now.
It’s a seller’s market and you have to give something up to get something in return.
Podziemski is not a valuable commodity. The Warriors need to stop treating him like one.
I’d venture to say that landing Markkanen in exchange for Podziemski and a few picks would be a huge win for the Dubs. Instead, they’re jeopardizing any chance this team has in the present for the sake of an exciting future.
There is simply no need to think too much about this.
The Jazz like Podziemski because he’s the modern version of Utah GM Danny Ainge. The Warriors like Podz because it’s hard to find good role players on cheap contracts who can have a future.
Sure, it could be posturing in the middle of a matchup, but the Warriors should stop wasting time: Other teams are interested in this big-time shooter.
No, it seems more likely that the Warriors are making the same mistake twice: They’re betting on two timelines: the present and the future.
And in that effort, they will make sure to have no deadlines.
Let me tell you that two in hand is better than two in the bush.
To be fair, these aren’t the early stages of the negotiation. Markkanen is eligible for an extension starting Aug. 6. Consider that a deadline for a deal, thanks to some arcane NBA trade rules.
Don’t get me wrong, Podziemski is a great player and his success as a rookie was a blessing for the Dubs. He’s cheap, he’s effective. He’s an asset.
But it doesn’t solve the Warriors’ biggest problem.
Markkanen does it.
What is there to discuss?
