The Golden State Warriors and guard Brandin Podziemski are pushing to complete a rookie-scale contract extension before the October 19 deadline.
NBA reporter Marc Stein said both sides prefer to settle the matter soon.
“Regarding Podziemski specifically: Word relayed to The Stein Line this week is that both sides want to get a deal done… but that is obviously dependent on beating the ticking clock,” Stein reported.
Podziemski, 23, is in the final year of his rookie deal after Golden State exercised his team option. Without an extension, he would become a restricted free agent next summer.
He played all 82 games last season and started 43 of them. Podziemski averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals while logging 28.5 minutes a night.
His shooting percentages were 45.5 from the field, 37.1 from 3-point range and 79.7 from the free-throw line. The scoring average and free-throw mark were career highs.
Production jumped after the All-Star break. In 27 games he averaged 17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists, the stretch the Warriors have cited as the standard they want him to sustain.
Comparable deals are already shaping the talks. Jake Fischer reported that Golden State is using Pelle Larsson’s four-year, $60 million extension with the Miami Heat as a reference point while deciding how much higher it will go.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints said in August that Podziemski’s side might seek about $25 million annually, though a range of $22 million to $24 million looked more realistic at the time.
Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard wrote that a five-year, $100 million package could mark the ceiling. He pointed to recent contracts for Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Shaedon Sharpe and Ayo Dosunmu as market guides.
Training camp reviews have been strong. Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area said Podziemski has ranked among the Warriors’ better performers, and coach Steve Kerr has spoken positively about his readiness for a bigger role.
The Santa Clara product, drafted 19th overall in 2023 and an All-Rookie First Team selection, is expected to start. He has appeared in 220 career games and holds career averages of 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Sunday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers in Hawaii was uneven. Podziemski finished with seven points on 2-for-10 shooting, two rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes of a 104-101 loss.
Golden State hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday at Chase Center, giving him another chance to settle in before the extension window shuts.
Defensive effort remains part of his case. He finished second in the NBA in charges drawn last season, a trait that led assistant coach Frank Vogel to call him a “rim protector.”
Any agreement also has to mesh with the roster’s salary picture after Stephen Curry signed a two-year, $116 million extension. Podziemski’s cap hold for the following season sits near $17 million, so a larger deal would reduce the team’s flexibility next summer.
