The Warriors have picked up their rookie scale team option on guard Brandin Podziemski for the 2026/27 season, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
The move, which was considered a sure thing to happen prior to Friday’s deadline, locks in Podziemski’s $5,679,458 salary for the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. He’ll now be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2026 offseason and would reach restricted free agency in 2027 if he and the Warriors don’t work out a new deal before then.
[RELATED: Decisions On 2026/27 Rookie Scale Team Options]
Podziemski, 22, has been a regular part of Golden State’s rotation since being drafted 19th overall in 2023. The former Santa Clara star averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 26.8 minutes per game in 64 outings last season, posting a shooting line of .445/.372/.758. He’s off to a solid start this year too, scoring 12.2 PPG and knocking down 42.3% of his three-point attempts through five games, including three starts.
Podziemski is one of six Warriors players whose contract includes an option for 2026/27, but he’s the only one of those six on a rookie scale contract. While rookie scale options must be exercised by October 31, decisions on player options for Draymond Green, Al Horford, and De’Anthony Melton, along with team options for Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis, won’t be due until next June.
Built for the present. Building well for the future. AND one of the best suited to pounce if and when Giannis is ready to bid farewell to the greater Wisconsin area. Executive of the Year nominee……Mr. Michael…Dunleavy….Jooooo-nyerrrrrrrrrr!
YOU KNOW BALL!!!!
For that plan you need to not extend Podz because his cap hold would be tiny. Then in the summer you can sign Giannis, because Steph will take a discount to make cap space for him, and then extend Podz after you use the space.
Lets address the elephant in the room: If Giannis is on the Warriors, can Draymond Green exist on the roster at $25+M? Or is it better to have a Steph+Giannis+a long, well-rounded bench? Draymond will likely not take a paycut.
I think they’ll let him reach RFA in summer ‘27 and keep his $17M cap hold on the books. They are lined up to have max cap space that summer, so it would make sense to preserve that, try to sign a star, and then go over the cap to re-sign Podz.
The way he stays happy is if you do the same as Maxey where you guarantee a generous offer will be there if he waits. Its a little harder since he wont be a pretty clear near rookie max, so you need to give him a floor, and agree to go higher if he balls out.
I’m curious as to how GSW will build for the 2027 market and beyond. Podz is not really a fit with Steph there. That’s 2 alphas trying to play the same role. It’s Steph’s team, bye bye Podz.
Spotrac approves this trade (but they dont have a section for draft picks, just add them in at your leisure.
Bucks get:
Jonathan Kuminga
Jimmy Butler II (they might move him to another team for a better rebuild-fit)
Brandin Podziemski (from Wisconsin)
Trayce Jackson-Davis (from Wisconsin)
Obviously draft picks
Warriors get:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Kyle Kuzma (for salary matching purposes only, I would think GSW would move him elsewhere or even waive him)
Maybe some pick swaps
oops, I meant “Jimmy Butler III” my bad.
> Podz is not really a fit with Steph there.
I’m interested in why you say that because:
– Podz is the starting SG now.
– He’s started alongside Steph every game that the 2 of them have been available, including playoffs and this season, since Jimmy arrived.
– GSW has won 77% of the games the two have started together, and have a losing record when they don’t.
– Podz is -not- “the starting SG now”. Kerr literally announced he is going with 4 starters and 1 rotating guy, Podz being in that rotating group, but Jimmy Butler III will be the SG when they play Kuminga and a C. What you said is not true.
– How many rings has that got us? It’s clear Podz and Steph out there together is not working well because Podz isn’t an elite starting level player in this league, only Kerr thinks that. He is a 6th man. GSW needs a Klay to go with Steph. Podz is not Klay, if anything Moses Moody is closer to that 3+D Klay than Podz is.
– GSW won 0% of the last 4 games of the year last season, when it mattered most. Beating non-playoff teams doesn’t matter. Strange you would think they are more important than playoffs.
Additionally, the league is trending big. You cant have 2 undersized guards, Steph can be the only one. Podz makes sense as a PG without Steph out there, but that’s not how he’s being used (incorrectly, once again by Kerr). Jim at 6’7″ will play at SG in the playoffs starting lineup. Bet.
@daveyj said:
> Podz is -not- “the starting SG now”. Kerr
> literally announced he is going with
> 4 starters and 1 rotating guy, Podz
> being in that rotating group, but
> Jimmy Butler III will be the SG when they
> play Kuminga and a C.
You are right on this point, and I stand corrected. The situation has changed.
But my larger point is that the last year shows Podz and Steph fit extremely well together. The Warriors have won 77% of their games when they play together, and we will continue to see a lot of that.
If you watch the games though, Podz often looks lost out there, even when Steph/Jim/Dray are cooking. Podz natural style of game right now does not match up with Stephs, Moody’s does. Podz and Steph are not ideal.
@DaveyJ, IMO, playing the 2 isn’t in the cards for Moses Moody as long as he’s on the Warriors. There are 3 reasons:
1. JK has taken his spot, probably permanently, at the 3/4.
2. To maximize Steph, Kerr has long since decided he needs a backcourt mate that is a ballhandler/decision-maker. Steph needs to be able to play off the ball.
3. The possible backcourt partners for Steph have already been identified: Jimmy, Podz, and Melton.
Ballhandling and decision making are not Moody’s skill-set. Moody is a pure 3-and-D guy. Jimmy Butler, by contrast, is a good enough ballhandler and decision-maker to offload Steph.
Yesterday, against Milwaukee, Podz played ~26 mins — 16 mins at SG alongside Steph, and 10 minutes as PG with Steph off the court. When Podz wasn’t on the court with Steph, Jimmy was.
Melton was acquired for this same role as Podz is playing: to complement Steph in the backcourt. When Melton, who Kerr adores, returns, I expect we’ll see Podz’ minutes opposite Steph go down. I don’t expect we’ll ever see Moody or Hield at the SG when Steph is available; it’ll be Jimmy, Podz, and Melton.
IMO, Moody’s future minutes will come as a backup SF/PF. It’s not a good situation for him, and it will reduce his trade value. That’s why I believe the Warriors will move him before the trade deadline.
How are you arguing Moody is a 3 and D guy but isn’t a match with Steph…brother, would you say the same about Klay Thompson? And this wannabe Russ/Steph/Bron-mindset guy is actually going to mesh with Steph? Nah. Nonsense take, respectfully. Podz cooking with Steph happens from time to time, but nowhere near often enough. Last night was a great example.
Moody IS the best SG option as that exact 3 and D guy as Klay, if you have Dray, Jimmy, Podz or Melton as the primary point player. Ideally you have Moody and Post/Al in the corners while Steph runs laps off ball and Dray and Jimmy run the offense. When Podz is out there, what exactly is he even doing exactly? Mimicing Steph poorly? I don’t even know, my only comp I can come up with for Podz is Russ – maybe tell me who you comp Podz with? I need new perspective on him. He looks AWFUL right now. We can agree on that.
Podz can also play the point alongside Moody, and those two have actually worked well together, but Kerr refuses to not punish Podz for being inconsistent and mid when Kuminga and Moody were relentlessly punished and benched for the exact same reasons. Moody deserves that SG role, and he’s as close to Klay as we can get, ergo, he is the one. Podz plays a dollar store Russell Westbrook way – too chaotic, not enough defense, and ultimately losing basketball. If Podz learned to play off-ball he would be a lot better a player.
Podz is a “me first” guy. He wants to be the whole show. He has a Lebron mindset. That will never work alongside the GOAT Curry, who rightfully deserves and should be that “main event”.
Podziemski is the 3rd best player with the Warriors
Few people understand this.
Tier 1
Curry, Butler, Pod
Tier 2
Draymond, Kuminga
Tier 3
Horford, Moody, Payton, Hield
Could not be more clueless and incorrect. Typical bot posting.
Tier 1
Curry, Butler, Kuminga, Draymond
Tier 2
Moody, Melton
Tier 3
Horford, Podz, Hield, Richard, Jackson-Davis
Tier 4
Santos
Tier 5
Payton, Spencer, Rowe
> How are you arguing Moody is a 3 and D guy but
> isn’t a match with Steph
It’s not my opinion. As Kerr says, Steph plays mostly off the ball at this stage of his career, so Kerr wants to have an alternative ball-handler play with him. The goal is to maximize Steph’s offense and reduce his load.
That wasn’t the case with Klay in the 2010’s. Steph played more pure PG and, more importantly, wasn’t the sole focus of the opponent’s defense.
Moody isn’t a ball-handler and he never will be. That’s not a criticism — he’s a good, and can be a very good, 3-and-D player. But Kerr has already decided that he’s not playing guard alongside Steph.