While the Warriors’ front office is busy recalibrating their roster for next season, Brandin Podziemski seems to be taking some time off basketball to prioritize his personal interests. Following a chaotic season that ended in a heartbreaking second-round exit, the young guard deserves some rest before he takes on the grueling NBA schedule once again. And he is using this time to showcase his fandom for the Edmonton Oilers.

As the Oilers headed into tonight’s Game 5 against the Panthers, Podz made a surprise appearance at Rogers Place for the highly anticipated Stanley Cup Final encounter. Draped in Oilers colors, the Warriors star shared a picture on X, captioned, “Game 5! #oilcountry”

Even the Edmonton team was ecstatic to host Brandin, as they shared another image of him standing next to the ice pregame. “Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski is at @RogersPlace to cheer on the #Oilers in Game 5!  #LetsGoOilers” The NHL team tweeted.

Podziemski’s fandom for the Oilers might seem a bit surprising because neither does he have any ties with the team nor is he Canadian. So, why the interest? Turns out, the shooting guard has fond childhood memories associated with the team, which he highlighted during an interview with the NHL Tonight panel, “So, my first ever Oilers game was I think 2013 in Tampa Bay. They were playing the Lightning. We go on a family trip every year to Florida and my stepfather took me to a hockey game. And I didn’t know anything about it. And just fell in love with the team’s uniform honestly, like I didn’t know what was going on.”

Sure enough, the initial interest in the Oilers’ jersey quickly turned into full blown support for the franchise, as Podz remarked, “I kind of just followed them throughout. The goods, the bads, and now we’re here in the Stanley Cup Final. So, it’s pretty cool.” Maybe, a good night of NHL action supporting his favorite team is what Podz needed to take his mind off his recent health struggles and trade buzz.

Veteran insider questions Warriors’ reluctance to trade Brandin Podziemski amid back-to-back procedures

Following Podziemski’s stellar rookie season, where he made the All-Rookie First Team, everyone expected the youngster to take a massive leap the following year. While Brandin’s numbers did go up this year, averaging 11.7 points and over five rebounds, he was unable to reach that star potential. There were visible gaps in his game, with multiple inconsistent stretches. Despite that, Mike Dunleavy was reluctant to trade him. But that could change this summer.

Veteran insider Dan Titus questioned the Warriors’ strategy on The Kevin O’Connor Show while highlighting their urgency, “Honestly, I don’t know why they were so reluctant to trade Brandin Podziemski. He’s a solid player but I’m like you guys had some younger assets you are protecting a little bit too much that I probably feel like they could have made that move last time. This offseason is gonna be really important for them to kind of extend that window.” With multiple ageing superstars, including Steph, Draymond, and Jimmy, Warriors need to make immediate moves if they wish to contend for a title. That could mean parting ways with Podz.

The move seems more possible now because apart from Brandin’s season struggles, he just underwent two major surgeries in a span of weeks. Per Warriors, Podz underwent successful surgery to repair a core muscle injury earlier this week. This procedure was merely days after he had a left wrist debridement surgery on May 27. The good news is, he is expected to make a complete recovery and be ready for training camp.

However, this might be the right time to trade him, especially with a potential game changer on their radar. Per Kevin O’Connor, “My former colleague Logan Murdock couple of weeks back reported that the Warriors really like Derrick White. They have already gone for Jimmy Butler. I imagine they’ll try to double down. I don’t think they are gonna move away from trying to contend.”

While Derrick White is not a superstar, he has been a key part of Celtics’ success over the years. He is a constant two-way threat and a reliable third option, who can score 15+ points on any given night. Plus, he has that championship pedigree. So, Dunleavy might pounce on the opportunity to acquire him this summer, even if it means trading away young stars like Podziemski and Kuminga. Do you think Brandin’s days in the Bay Area are numbered as Warriors eye another big move?