Brandin Podziemski Got $110 Million. I Think Golden State Overpaid — But That’s the NBA Now

FINAL SCORE / VERIFIED BOX SCORE — Golden State 111, Sacramento 106. Brandin Podziemski: 14 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST; 4-for-9 FG, 3-for-7 three-point shooting.

The numbers explain the deal — but they don’t convince me

The reported extension is five years and $110 million, an average of $22 million a season before considering the exact yearly structure. The useful basketball baseline is Podziemski's 2025–26 regular season: 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, shooting 45.5% while playing all 82 games, according to NBA.com. In the October 10 preseason meeting with Sacramento, the final box score showed 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists, including 3-for-7 from three. Don't confuse that one night with the production on which the five-year extension should be judged.

There is a salary-cap defense of this contract: the cap rises over time, and $22 million per year may eventually be viewed as starter money rather than star money. I still think Golden State paid too much based on what Podziemski has actually shown. Cap inflation explains why deals get big; it doesn't automatically make each deal a good one.

A publicly circulated contract breakdown lists base amounts growing from $18.965 million in 2027–28 to $25.034 million in 2031–32. Treat that as a fan-reported schedule until independently checked against formal contract details; likewise, do not assert that the 2031–32 mutual option has been exercised or resolved. The key editorial question is what role he holds once the Stephen Curry era changes and whether his efficiency scales with responsibility.

A viral joke about misreading Brandin Podziemski's contract went around X, but the extension itself is real: Golden State and the guard agreed to a reported five-year, $110 million fully guaranteed rookie-scale extension. The deal includes a mutual option in year five and a trade kicker. He is 23 years old, and the new money takes the partnership through the 2031–32 season if the final year is exercised.

People see $110 million and immediately ask whether Podziemski is a star. He isn’t, and that’s precisely why I think this is an overpay. The Warriors are buying years of competent two-way guard play, continuity around Stephen Curry and protection from potentially more expensive restricted free agency bidding. I understand the calculation, but understanding it doesn't mean I have to like the price. In 2025–26, Podziemski played all 82 games, averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists, and shot about 37% from three. Those are useful rotation-starter numbers, not superstar production.

He also fits an organisational problem. Curry's window is not indefinite. A team built around older veterans needs younger players who can stay on the floor, make quick decisions and survive meaningful defensive assignments. The contract signals that Steve Kerr and the front office are comfortable betting that Podziemski can continue to grow. The obvious risk is that a good complementary player stays merely good while the annual price rises.

The mutual fifth-year option is relevant because the full headline total doesn't tell the entire story of team flexibility. And the deal starting in 2027–28 means its effect has to be assessed against future cap space, not just today's payroll.

6ixtv's view: I think Brandin is overpaid. He's a good, useful young player, but 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists isn't production that makes me comfortable committing $110 million. I get why the Warriors value him, and maybe the rising salary cap makes the contract look normal in a few years. But that's the league now: solid role players get paid numbers that used to be reserved for stars. If he grows into a bigger role, Golden State might look smart. Right now, I'm not sold.