“When they leave this thing, they got to leave it with somebody,” Brandin Podziemski said this pre-season, clearly putting his name out there as a future leader for the Warriors after Curry, Green, or even Butler. But for that dream to become reality, he can’t just flash brilliance in spurts; he needs consistency across all 82 games. So far, that hasn’t clicked. The Warriors sit at 10-9, and veterans and Coach Steve Kerr keep circling the same concern: the team is missing that spark, that “fire,” that “fight” that once defined their championship runs.

On the Zach Lowe podcast, Howard Beck weighed in on the Warriors’ ongoing search for a consistent young star. “The uh one kind of like fundamental truth I think over the last couple of years before the Jimmy Butler trade and still with Jimmy Butler on that roster is that they need needed and still need one of those young guys to finally pop consistently, right?”

He pointed to the younger core: Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Jonathan Kuminga, and explained the problem in simple terms. “If Podz pops as a uh ball handler, scorer, playmaker type who can do things when Steph’s off the court or when Steph and Jimmy Butler both off the court, then things are a little different. If Moses Moody were consistent, if Jonathan Kuminga were consistent, like one of these guys at least needed to really establish themselves and here we are however many years in for each of them and it’s still kind of up and down and still Steve Kerr trust them one day and doesn’t the next. It’s a problem.” The game vs the Jazz clearly revealed a bit of trust tension between Kerr and his squad.

Podziemski’s rollercoaster season has been one of the Warriors’ bigger headaches. He’s flashed talent, averaging 12 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists through 17 games, hitting 37.8% from three, but he’s also scored in single digits five times already.

Last postseason, when Curry and Butler missed time, Podziemski looked out of his depth, shooting just 36.4% while trying to carry a bigger load. The potential is obvious: he passes well, hustles, and contributes on both ends, which is why the Warriors can’t afford him to stay inconsistent.

Moody has also shown he can be a real weapon for the Warriors when he’s on. Last season, after moving into the starting lineup post-Butler trade, his length and defense helped make Golden State a two-way threat. This season, he’s stepped it up, putting up 13.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and hitting 45.3% from deep over the last five games. However, since coming back from his calf injury, he’s only started half his games and had eight outings where he barely hit double digits. 

Similarly, Kuminga has been a frustrating puzzle for the Warriors this season. After a strong start, he went cold, hitting just 2-of-14 from three over six games while turning the ball over 18 times against only 14 assists. The inconsistency has left Golden State scrambling, as they lack the athleticism and paint presence he brings when he’s on the floor. To make matters murkier, he’s sidelined again with bilateral knee tendonitis, and every game he misses raises questions about how much the Warriors can rely on him as a steady rotation piece. 

Steve Kerr opens up on his fiery moment against the Jazz

The Golden State Warriors finally shook off their three-game slump with a solid 134-117 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday, after they got a push in the first quarter. Post-game, Kerr explained what sparked his outburst: “I thought our defense was pretty good after that. But, you know, Keyonte George and Markkanen were the two guys we wanted to contain tonight and pay special attention to, and I think, you know, ten minutes into the game, George is four for four from three—wide open shots. So we just lost our focus, and I just wanted to gently remind them that we needed to.” 

For those who missed the live action, here’s what went down. The Warriors started slow, giving up an easy bucket to Utah’s Keyonte George, which had coach Steve Kerr storming onto the court after a timeout. Podziemski was out of position, leaving George wide open, and the Jazz jumped to a 26-22 lead late in the first quarter. Kerr’s frustration was clear. He wanted the team to refocus and contest shots, especially after Podziemski’s recent struggles.

Once the warning bells rang, Golden State flipped the script and by halftime, the Warriors had pulled ahead 67-55, with a staggering 41-point second quarter. Kerr praised the team’s late-game effort, saying, “…and I thought our second group really did that. Pat Spencer, Will [Richard], that group with Jimmy and Quentin to start the second quarter—game changer. Their approach, how they got the crowd into it, the way the ball moved, it was really fun to watch.”

 The Warriors have been sitting at ninth in the league with a defensive rating of 112.1, and it’s clear their defense hasn’t been as sharp as fans would hope. Friday’s loss to Portland, 127-123, showed just how much they’re struggling on that end, even if they’re still technically a top-10 team. 

Statistically, the drop is noticeable. Last season, the Warriors owned the league’s best defensive rating at 109.0. This year, it’s slipped to 112.1. Rebounding has fallen from 51.2% to 48.2%, moving them from the top tier to the low 20s, while turnovers have risen from 14.2% to 16.6%, giving opponents more fast-break chances. 

The veteran core is still holding the team accountable, but the supporting cast hasn’t stepped up. With no true lockdown perimeter defender and inconsistent play from the likes of Hield, the Warriors are struggling to maintain last season’s defensive dominance.