SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts towards Jonathan Kuminga #00 and Brandin Podziemski #2 during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on May 10, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
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Brandin Podziemski has been a consistent role player with Golden State since he was drafted to the team in 2023.
Before the Golden State Warriors can reshape their roster this offseason, the team is dealing with another setback from one of their promising young players.
The team announced on Wednesday night that guard Brandin Podziemski underwent surgery on a core muscle. It was the 22-year-old’s second surgery of the offseason, as just weeks ago Podziemski had a procedure to repair a left wrist injury.
“He is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of training camp,” the Warriors wrote in a statement posted on X.
Golden State lost in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs, largely due to superstar Stephen Curry missing the final four. Despite the early exit, Podziemski remained a key piece for the team, as one of three players to start in 11 of their 12 postseason games.
Podziemski With The Warriors
Golden State drafted Podziemski with the 19th overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, and he quickly earned a significant role on the squad. Despite being their youngest player, Podziemski played in 74 regular season games, starting in 28 of them. He ranked top-five on the team in points, rebounds, and total minutes, while finishing fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting.
While the Warriors missed the playoffs, Podziemski was one of their most dependable players and showed further potential.
The guard had a slight jump in scoring this past year, though he dealt with injuries and missed stretches of the season. Podziemski missed 12 consecutive games in December and January, followed by back and facial injuries which caused him to sit out later in the year.
He ended the year averaging 11.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on 44% shooting from the field and 37.2% from three. Podziemski played the third-most minutes for the Warriors during both the regular season and playoffs.
On May 27th, Podziemski underwent surgery on his left wrist. Most recently on June 10, he had another procedure, this time for a core muscle injury. Despite the two surgeries in just over two weeks, the Warriors said that he would be ready by the time training camp arrived.
The Warriors’ Offseason
Podziemski isn’t but he isn’t the only Warrior who has undergone an offseason procedure. On May 22, Golden State announced that guard Moses Moody had surgery to repair a torn UCL ligament in his right thumb. Moody was a key role player for the Warriors this year playing in 74 regular season games and averaging 9.8 points a night.
Curry, the franchise superstar, struggled with injuries late in the year and missed most of their second-round series. Now, two of Golden State’s other top guards have both undergone surgery in the past month.
Despite the health concerns, the Warriors are reportedly testing the trade market for another major contributor to pair alongside Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.
Golden State has reportedly targeted Nikola Vucevic, Lauri Markkanen, and Bobby Portis in trade discussions. Despite Podziemski’s two recent surgeries, his strong play and team-friendly contract make him a potential trade piece the Warriors could include in a deal.