The pressure is on the Golden State Warriors this season as they try to maximize the final years of Steph Curry.

Curry could decide to walk away next offseason, as he will be an unrestricted free agent, assuming he doesn’t sign an extension with the team.

Golden State missed out on adding another star to the roster and is banking on team continuity and internal development to take the next step and get back to the playoffs after falling in the second Play-In game last season.

Draymond Green, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis are all back, while rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is looking to impress. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody will miss the start of the season, putting more pressure on Curry to carry the scoring load.

That pressure could be lessened if Brandin Podziemski elevates his game.

Drafted 19th overall in 2023, Podziemski is going into the final year of his rookie contract. He’s shown growth in each of his first three seasons, increasing his scoring from 9.2 points in his rookie year to 11.7 points in his sophomore year, and 13.8 points last season.

He’s maintained his three-point shooting despite increasing his volume, shooting 38% on 3.2 attempts his rookie year, and still shooting 37% on five attempts last season.

There is room to grow as a defender, playmaker, and self-creator, but there have been flashes that he can put it all together and be a strong contributor to lighten the load on the future Hall of Famer.

When Curry and Podziemski were on the floor together last season, the Warriors had a +5.7 net rating. A solid number, but one that can be improved upon.

When Curry was off the floor and Podziemski was on, the team had a -1.5 net rating.

To take the next step, Podziemski will have to prove that he can maintain the offense as the primary scorer and creator when Curry needs a rest.

The majority of his points come off set shots and cuts, and he’ll need to show that he can beat guys off the dribble and create his own shot. He shot 33% on pull-up jumpers and 28% on pull-up threes.

Defenses were not worried about his shooting off the dribble, making it tougher on him as a shot creator. His passing is underrated, but he’ll still need to take the next step to get others better shots if the Warriors are going to compete.

The addition of Lendeborg and a full season of Porzingis, who had a +10.5 net rating when on the floor with Podziemski, should benefit him.