Prior to the Golden State Warriors’ final game before the all-star break, coach Steve Kerr made headlines with a lineup change. Rookie Brandin Podziemski replaced Klay Thompson in the starting backcourt alongside Steph Curry.
Thompson, a five-time NBA All-Star and starter on four title-winning Warriors teams, hadn’t come off the bench since his rookie season in 2012.
While some may view this change as the encapsulation of Thompson’s decline, that’s simply not reality. The future Hall-of-Famer poured in 35 points and had seven makes from beyond the arc. Coming off the bench, he led the way in the Warriors’ win against the Utah Jazz.
Instead, this change represents the rise of No. 19 overall pick Podziemski. In his 14 outings before starting against the Jazz, the 6-foot-4 guard played 31.7 minutes per game, averaging 12.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. In the preceding game, he notched a career-high 25 points along with 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5-for-5 shooting from deep.
But despite their impressiveness, these numbers cease to capture the breadth of Podziemski’s impact in Golden State’s style of read-and-react basketball. He processes the game at an accelerated speed, balancing and acting upon the many options of the Warriors’ offense before they unfold. He’s a gifted passer while also possessing the shooting and off-the-dribble scoring threat to add versatility to his role within Golden State’s offense.
Podziemski’s genius also reveals itself on the defensive end. It’s difficult for a 20-year-old guard to add value on defense, but the Santa Clara product’s anticipatory style often leads him to the right place at the right time; he leads all NBA players this season with 27 total charges drawn.
Ultimately, coach Kerr’s decision to start Podziemski over Thompson primarily communicates one message: Podziemski is already really good. His edge as an off-the-dribble playmaker allows him to bring more impact than Thompson to a Warriors offense starved of perimeter creation next to Curry with gaping space on the interior from their small-ball lineup. Porziemski’s budding impact has been one of Golden State’s keys to their recent surge of winning basketball. As we approach playoff time, Podziemski should get plenty of more opportunities to showcase his game in big moments.
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