Three Storylines That Will Dominate Warriors Media Day

This offseason, the Golden State Warriors have been relatively quiet when it comes to making additions to their roster. The franchise decided to bring back key big-man veterans Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, but the rest of the roster is filled with in-house young talent. 

Though the Warriors may not have made headlines regarding free-agent acquisitions, there has been a lot of discussion about their future plans as well as the current outlook of their roster. 

Arguably the biggest headline that will dominate their media day is the two-year contract extension given to star player Stephen Curry, worth $116 million, as the end of his career approaches. Curry, 38, has openly told the media he doesn’t want to leave the Warriors, and this extension was inevitable. 

What causes so much discourse surrounding Curry’s future with the Warriors is the uncertainty surrounding the rest of the roster. While Golden State has a good amount of young talent, they don’t have a clear player they can build around at the moment. 

Fans are concerned that the Warriors have an average roster around Steph Curry, as it’s been several seasons since they’ve made a truly deep playoff run. 

Another storyline that will be discussed during their media day is the potential contract extension for young guard Brandin Podziemski. Podziemski is now eligible for a rookie maximum extension, and many wonder just how much he’s worth at the moment. 

The good news for Podziemski is that he has time to prove his worth in the beginning phase of the regular season. With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody expected to miss the start of the year, Podziemski is expected to slide into the starting shooting guard role.  

If he can have any kind of breakthrough at some point this season, he could earn himself the contract he’s looking for. Podziemski has gotten better statistically every season since entering the NBA, and with an increased role to start the season, this could be his year to truly break out. 

Another storyline is the injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. The Warriors did not make any legitimate moves to replace the production of the two starting wings, and that means in-house talent will have to step up for them. 

Aside from Podziemski at shooting guard, the Warriors will likely have either Gui Santos or rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg starting at the small forward spot. 

Santos has spent some time coming off the bench for Golden State and has been fairly productive in that role. Now he may have a chance to have a breakout season, similar to Podziemski. 

Overall, the overarching theme of the Golden State Warriors’ media day will be their uncertainty about their future. Many will want to see those questions answered this season.