His name has been a frequent part of trade discussions this summer, yet Brandin Podziemski is still a Warriors player. Whether it's in talks with the Clippers for Paul George or in talks for a Lauri Markkanen trade, Brandin Podziemski has always been excluded from negotiations by Golden State management.
“A lot of other teams are calling for you”, Mike Dunleavy Jr warned him. “They want you, but you’re not going anywhere. You’re with us. He told me, ‘You have nothing to worry about. You’re a priority here.’ I appreciate that, being a rookie going into my second year. To hear that from such a prestigious organization feels good. They care about me and I appreciate it.”
This show of confidence probably comes from the fact that the franchise plans to induct him into the starting five after Klay Thompson's departure to the Mavericks. But replacing a franchise legend does not scare the young player.
“When you do something good in life, it creates expectations.”explains Podziemski. “I won’t think about it while I’m playing, but I just know that with what I’ve done all offseason, I know how much better a player I’m going to be. Obviously, I have expectations of myself. That’s my job. But I don’t think there’s any nervousness about exceeding expectations. I’m just going to be myself.”
Triple your number of 3-pointers!
This will not be an easy task because Klay Thompson was still the 2nd best scorer of the Warriors last season, and one of the best shooters in history. But Brandin Podziemski can bring something else, like creation, but also defense. Last season, he was number 1 in forced passes (38).
“I'm really happy to be able to stay ahead of my opponent”he says. “I'm more confident in my defensive abilities. I was in a position last year where sometimes I didn't feel comfortable, hoping to hold the guy in front of me. Now, it's kind of like I've prepared for it. It's something I want to show in training camp.”
Offensively, the guard will also have to assume new responsibilities, both with the ball in hand and with more shots that the Warriors will assign him. Last season, he still shot 38.5% from distance, but with only 3.2 attempts per game.
“One of their main goals is for me to shoot more 3-pointers,” concludes the one who was part of the 'All-Rookie First Team'. “I don't know my numbers, but I shot pretty good percentages. I just didn't get enough shots. They want me to shoot eight to 10 a game. That's what they told me. All types: off the dribble, off screens, catch-and-shoot.”
