Any for Utah assuredly will include Golden State parting with some of its budding young core, but which players would be on the move? believes that and 's respective contract situations could weigh heavily on which of the two the Warriors are content including in any package sent to the in exchange for Markkanen. Stein detailed his thoughts on the latest edition of " ," highlighting the fact Kuminga immediately is , while Podziemski has at least three more years of team control after being selected No. 19 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
"Beyond how highly Golden State rates the 21-year-old and his all-around game, Podziemski also has three seasons left on his rookie contract worth nearly $13 million as the No. 19 overall pick in June 2023," Stein wrote. "Kuminga, meanwhile, is immediately eligible for a lucrative contract extension between now and Oct.
21 as the No. 7 overall pick from a 2021 draft class that has already seen [ '] , [ '] , [ '] and [Magic's] land extensions that far exceed $200 million." Stein further explained given Podziemski's immediate impact and his ability to efficiently play alongside franchise centerpiece , the 21-year-old guard remains highly coveted by Golden State's top decision makers.
Podziesmki's rookie contract also runs concurrent with the hefty contracts of and , giving the Warriors a true difference maker at an incredible bargain -- something that has become more valuable than ever given the NBA's new luxury-tax penalties under the league's c.