The Warriors are optimistic heading into the offseason despite being eliminated in the NBA Play-In Tournament by the Sacramento Kings, failing to qualify for the playoffs.
Rookie Brandin Podziemski, in particular, still believes he and his teammates can bounce back and do something special in the following years.
In talking to 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on Tuesday, the Santa Clara product explained why he is confident Golden State remains an NBA title contender.
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“I think we’re very close,” Podziemski told Mark Willard and Dan Dibley. “That’s easy to say for anybody on any team -- everyone has that belief that they can do it. But to see the old guys mixed with the new [and] mixed with the young, I think it’s something we can put together.”
The Warriors finished last season 46-36 before their 2023-24 NBA season ended at Golden 1 Center. In a positive sign for Golden State, it went 27-13 in their final 40 games heading into the play-in game.
Age was a hot topic for the older Warriors this season, as Steph Curry (36), Klay Thompson (34), Draymond Green (34) and fellow veteran Chris Paul (39) often showed signs of fatigue.
However, Podziemski is convinced Golden State’s rising young stars will help alleviate some of the strain on the older Warriors, citing the team’s approach that hinges on progressive cohesiveness.
Golden State Warriors
“Mike Dunleavy’s plan and Joe Lacob’s plan of drafting Jonathan [Kuminga] and Moses [Moody] and letting them develop, but also then drafting me and Trayce [Jackson-Davis], who had experience in college and are ready to impact,” Podziemski added, “Meshing that together and now going into a second year with all four of us, with the combination of Steph, Klay and Draymond and whoever else is with us when the time comes, it’s set up for success.
Golden State’s championship window is shrinking by the day, and its rivals are smelling blood in the water.
The last teams standing in the electric Western Conference -- the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks -- are led by young stars Anthony Edwards and Luka Dončić, respectively, and right behind them are Shai Gilgeous-Alexnder and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets, and of course, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Though, the Warriors still have won four NBA championships over the last decade. Podziemski knows Golden State has holes to fill and age concerns to address, but believes his team has some gas left in the tank.
“I’ve experienced us playing all together,” the 21-year-old concluded. “You can’t hide four rings, it doesn’t just happen on accident. So, those guys know what it takes, and we’re there to help them and get them to the promised land.”
Regardless of what Golden State’s team will look like when the 2024-25 NBA season begins, Podziemski knows his team will fight for the franchise's eighth Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy come October.