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The Warriors haven’t had a lot to be joyous about in the 2024-25 season since the early goings of the campaign. After starting the season with a 12-3 record, the Warriors went 6-15 over their next 21 games, and along the way, lost key guard De’Anthony Melton to a season-ending injury.
To make matters worse, the Warriors also lost Jonathan Kuminga to an ankle injury that is likely to keep the fourth-year forward out for an extended period.
Fortunately, the Warriors could be getting back Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton II, another set of injured players, imminently. According to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, both guards traveled with the team for their early January road trip.
“Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton II will go on the Warriors’ upcoming four-game road trip with the expectation they could return during it, per Kerr,” he wrote on X.
The Warriors begin the four-game road trip with a stop in Detroit on Thursday, January 9, before traveling to Indiana, Toronto and Minnesota. Of the four games, the Warriors are betting favorites to only prevail against the Raptors. While the Pistons and Pacers were in great midseason form, the Timberwolves were still a force at home.
Uncertain Future in Golden State
While Podziemski’s return definitely bodes well for the depth of the undermanned Warriors, the second-year guard could be on his way out of the franchise at some point, possibly before the February 6 trade deadline. According to multiple Warriors beat writers, the Warriors no longer view Podz as “untouchable” in trade talks as they did during the 2024 offseason. As is well documented, Golden State refused to part with Podziemski in trades involving Paul George and Lauri Markkanen.
As a result, the Warriors were forced to pivot their strategy and sign a host of role players such as Buddy Hield, Karl Anderson and Melton, not to mention trade for Dennis Schroder a few months into the new season.
On paper, the Warriors can’t be blamed for no longer viewing Podz as an untradeable asset. Podz is averaging 8.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists this season after averaging 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists as a rookie.
Warriors On Verge of Making a Trade?
According to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, Podz and Kuminga’s struggles have meant the Warriors are more willing to trade them ahead of the February 6 deadline.
“There is certainly more of a willingness to discuss their young core of Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski in trade discussions than ever before, sources said, opening several possibilities for how the Warriors could attack the trade deadline,” Siegel wrote on December 20.
Siegel’s report mentioned Jimmy Butler, Cameron Johnson, Bruce Brown, Kyle Kuzma, Nikola Vucevic, Jonas Valanciunas, Donte DiVincenzo, Matisse Thybulle, and De’Andre Hunter as players “on Golden State’s radar,” per sources close to the franchise.
While Butler remains the biggest name on the market, many insiders have urged the Warriors against the move. The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami argued that Golden State had more to lose by acquiring the Heat All-Star.
“But acquiring Butler just to say you’re doing something big would be the ultimate hollow move,” Kawakami wrote on December 5. “It just doesn’t make sense financially or strategically. Butler, who is making $48.8 million this season and has a player option for $52 million next season, flat out isn’t worth that money anymore. He wouldn’t be worth the players the Warriors would have to put into the offer to match that salary for salary-cap purposes. And he wouldn’t be worth the agonies Butler will be due to stir up almost immediately — he’d want a new contract and probably a contract after that and so on.”