The Golden State Warriors reportedly want to avoid another complicated Jonathan Kuminga contract situation, and that puts Brandin Podziemski at the center of one of the franchise’s biggest offseason priorities.
According to Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard, Podziemski is now eligible for a rookie extension, and Golden State would prefer to secure a long-term deal before allowing the situation to drag into restricted free agency next summer.
The Warriors already experienced how messy those negotiations can become with Jonathan Kuminga. Tension around role, value, and long-term money reportedly complicated talks last offseason, and Golden State does not appear interested in repeating that process with another young core piece.
Podziemski has rapidly become one of the franchise’s most important young players.
The second-year guard played in all 82 regular-season games plus both Play-In Tournament games, making him one of only 18 players in the NBA to appear in every game last season. After the All-Star break, he elevated his game significantly, averaging 17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while becoming a much larger offensive presence.
He also finished the season strongly despite the Warriors’ collapsing late. Golden State finished just 37-45 before being eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the Play-In Tournament after a disappointing 10th-place finish in the Western Conference standings. Injuries played a major role in the collapse, especially with both Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody expected to miss most or all of next season because of long-term injuries.
That leaves Podziemski as one of the few dependable young building blocks moving forward. A potential extension could land somewhere between $17 million and $23 million annually, with many around the league believing $25 million per season should be the absolute ceiling for Golden State.
The Warriors clearly value him highly.
Podziemski acknowledged some of the criticism he faced earlier in the season after comments about wanting to become better than Stephen Curry went viral. But he backed up some of that confidence late in the year with improved scoring, stronger decision-making, and multiple breakout performances, including his first career 30-point game.
Golden State now faces one of the most important offseasons of the Stephen Curry era.
Steve Kerr already signed a two-year extension after briefly hinting at retirement following the Warriors’ disappointing season. The franchise is also expected to continue extension talks with Draymond Green, although reports suggest the organization would only consider a long-term deal under certain financial conditions.
Meanwhile, Curry is also expected to begin extension discussions soon.
On top of all that, the Warriors continue getting linked to major superstar pursuits. Rumors involving Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and even Giannis Antetokounmpo continue surfacing around the franchise.
Yet despite all the superstar speculation, Podziemski might quietly be one of the Warriors’ most important long-term decisions.
Golden State still plans to keep the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the organization clearly wants to stay competitive instead of rebuilding. That makes affordable young talent critical moving forward, especially with aging stars and massive contracts already on the roster.
If the Warriors truly believe Podziemski is part of the next era alongside Curry, getting an extension done early could prevent another stressful contract saga from developing next summer.
