Warriors Learn How Much Brandin Podziemski Wants for Upcoming Extension

Stephen Curry signed a two-year, $116 million extension with the Warriors. He reportedly took a $20 million discount to preserve the franchise's financial flexibility heading into next offseason. That same flexibility is about to be tested in a very different direction.

According to ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel, Brandin Podziemski and his camp are seeking a new deal worth between $20 million and $24 million annually, a number that would eat deeply into the very cap space Curry's sacrifice was designed to protect.

Siegel reported that Podziemski's camp is targeting an annual value north of the mid-level exception. It will land somewhere in the $20 million to $24 million range, with some reports suggesting his side could push for figures as high as $25 million per year.

It's a significantly bigger number than where Golden State reportedly hopes to land the negotiation.

Siegel indicated the Warriors' preferred range sits closer to $15 million to $18 million annually. It has created a real gap between the two sides even before factoring in Podziemski's actual production.

"I think the sweet spot would be between that $18-19 million per year range," Siegel said. "I personally expect this to be a little bit north of $20 million. Somewhere in that $22-24 million range for Brandin Podziemski annually."

He added that if Podziemski's camp signaled a willingness to land closer to $18 million or $19 million, he believes the Warriors would move quickly to finalize something at that number.

Podziemski's asking price is backed by a career-best season, in which he averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 37 percent from three across all 82 games.

The number also has to be weighed against recent franchise history. Golden State signed Moses Moody to a three-year, $39 million extension in 2024, a deal many view as a rough floor for Podziemski's own negotiation, while the organization remains wary of repeating its 2022 mistake with Jordan Poole, who received a four-year, $123 million deal before being traded away within a year.

Those two points help explain why the Warriors are reportedly comfortable taking their time rather than rushing to meet Podziemski's number.

Despite this, neither side appears to be treating the situation with much urgency. Podziemski is eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension through Oct. 19, but if no deal is reached by then, he'd simply play out the final year of his rookie contract and become a restricted free agent next summer, giving Golden State a built-in safety net either way.

Podziemski himself downplayed any tension over the negotiation. He said he doesn't let the contract situation interfere with his role on the team. "I don't let that interfere with our team dynamic," he said. "I know what they want from me is just to be the best version of myself I can be. And the contract stuff, my agent and Mike [Dunleavy] and them will handle."

Part of the lack of urgency traces back to the front office's priorities. Siegel noted that Golden State views Stephen Curry's own long-term situation as a higher priority than locking up Podziemski right now, and the front office is reportedly comfortable operating with roughly $60 million in potential cap flexibility heading into next offseason.

It will give them room to maneuver even if Podziemski's extension talks stretch into restricted free agency.

Between Podziemski's career-best season and the Warriors' preference to move carefully, this negotiation looks likely to extend well past the Oct. 19 deadline.

Whether it ultimately lands closer to the $18 million middle ground Siegel suggested or escalates toward the $24 million range Podziemski's camp is reportedly seeking, Golden State's recent history with both team-friendly sacrifices and costly missteps suggests that the front office will take its time getting the number exactly right.