After contract extension rumors surrounded both the Golden State Warriors and shooting guard Brandin Podziemski, the two sides agreed to a new five-year deal. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the deal is worth $110 million over five seasons. Podziemski's salary will escalate from year to year, beginning at $18.9 million during the 2027-28 season and ending with a mutual option worth $25 million during the final year of his contract.
Prior to the agreement, Podziemski averaged 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and one steal while shooting 45.2% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range in his first three seasons. While Podziemski does offer more intangible value than the numbers show, dishing out $110 million of guaranteed money may
be a tough pill to swallow if Podziemski cannot make notable improvements to his game.
Although the landscape of the league has changed, making an average annual value of $22 million seem much more palatable, waiting on a deal until Podziemski reached restricted free agency next summer would have been completely reasonable. In comparison to players hovering around the $18 to $21 million range (Keldon Johnson, Toumani Camara, Dillon Brooks, Ivica Zubac, Josh Hart and etc.), Podziemski's contract value in comparison to his performance is a tad pricey.
That said, many around the team have raved about the former Santa Clara guard throughout the offseason, praising the improvements in his game during training camp. If Podziemski reaches a higher gear, this deal has the potential to be a steal. If not, Golden State supporters may wish the front office waited until the conclusion of his fourth season to commit so much guaranteed money.
Overall grade: B-
This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Grading Brandin Podziemski's new five-year contract extension
