Unlike many teams, the Golden State Warriors have not been active in the trade market. Instead, their offseason has been dominated by the unresolved standoff with forward Jonathan Kuminga. After a rollercoaster 2024-25 season, where he showed glimpses of All-NBA potential, Kuminga has declined a two-year $45 million offer. Since then, it’s been a stalemate between the player and the Dubs. And while the front office navigates this problem, insiders feel another star might also follow a similar path.

Hosts of Warriors Plus Minus, Tim and Marcus, believe it could be Brandin Podziemski. The young guard, who is close with team owner Joe Lacob, could see his minutes drop just like Kuminga’s. But why?

Although Podziemski did show some potential last season, it’s his inconsistency that might hinder his progress. While talking about how Steve Kerr doesn’t shy away from resting veteran stars, Tim and Marcus stated that the 21-year-old guard could see a drop in his playing time if her doesn’t hit his shots consistently. “Don’t think pods won’t be in this exact same situation.” They said. “I’m saying, if he’s like in and out of the lineups, if you think Kuminga thinks he’s good, what do you think Podz thinks? He thinks he should be playing.”

The Warriors’ experts suggested that if Brandin Podziemski doesn’t play well, it’s hard not to think that he’s going to be on the bench, similar to what happened with Jonathan Kuminga last season. However, they do believe that Podziemski will be locking in meaningful minutes at the start of the campaign. That shouldn’t be a surprise given that last season he averaged 11.7 points while shooting 44.5 percent from the field, which included 37.2 percent accuracy from beyond the arc.

Although his numbers did see a dip during the postseason, that should not affect how high Steve Kerr and Co. rate the youngster. Nonetheless, apart from talking about Podziemski’s minutes, Tim and Marcus also shared what could be a ray of hope for the Golden State Warriors management amidst the cold war with Jonathan Kuminga.

Warriors insiders share possible solution to Jonathan Kuminga problem

For weeks, the Golden State Warriors have been stuck in a standoff with Jonathan Kuminga. This has not only hampered their negotiations with the 22-year-old forward, but has also put a stop to the rest of the moves. One of the most notable pursuits for the Dubs, which is on hold, is for Al Horford. The veteran center has been waiting for the longest for a green light. The problem? Jonathan Kuminga.

However, according to Tim and Marcus, the move that the Golden State has been delaying could, after all, be the answer to all their problems.

As of now, even if Kuminga decides to sign with the Dubs, his role within the roster remains unclear. In fact, given his up-and-down relationship with Steve Kerr, the 22-year-old forward would most likely spend a significant amount of time on the bench.

But that changes with Horford’s arrival. “If Horford is your starting center. It probably gives you a little bit more flexibility to play Kuminga, Draymond, and Jimmy together.” He said.

Tim and Marcus pointed out that even though the former Boston Celtics big man is not much of a shooting threat, he gives Steve Kerr an opportunity to play him, Jimmy Butler, Kuminga and Draymond Green all in the starting five. That actually would give the Dubs several different lineups that they can play throughout the season while not messing with the team’s scoring ability.

However, first and foremost, Golden State must find a way to sign Al Horford.