The 2023-24 season of the Golden State Warriors was the rookies’ time. They stole the show and on multiple occasions saved the day. Headed by the veteran guard, Chris Paul, these youngsters have made a name for themselves on a team that has been struggling particularly hard this year. Two such names are Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis. The Dubs picked Podziemski at No. 19 and Davis at 57. Considering the performances they put up, the franchise wouldn’t have probably waited that long to get them on the team. But it is what it is.

The Warriors struck gold with the pair and Podz and Trayce, for their part, have garnered respect from the veterans and legends of the NBA. But they are still rookies in every sense of the word. And they just got drafted into a team that boasts four titles in the past decade, complete with Hall of Fame players and a brilliant coach. Something of an apprehension would have been part of the duo when sitting beside Stephen Curry or Draymond Green. Podziemski agrees.

“I would say it’s fun but it’s also a little bit daunting at first,” the 21-year-old admitted to Malika Andrews on Thursday’s episode of NBA Today. He further added, “For us, it was finding that that happy median of what they have, but what else would we bring.”

The “happy median” is exactly a major aspect the team has had difficulty with. The franchise wants to keep its veteran core as the center of focus, but the fact is that they aren’t in a situation to play like their prime. Granted, Steph still plays at an elite level. But there is only so much the 10x All-Star can do on his own.

Klay Thompson hasn’t been the same since his injuries. Green keeps getting ejected and suspended. Andrew Wiggins looked like a shell of his 2022 self. It has led Steve Kerr to rely more on the youngsters. And when they step up to the occasion and play like pros, it’s only natural that as a coach, Kerr will have to give them a regular place in the rotation. But that can sometimes lead to a little tension between the “young” and “old”.

Brandin Podziemski and Andrew Wiggins’ on-court altercation

A close game between the Spurs and Warriors on March 11th saw Brandin rubbing Wiggs the wrong way. Instead of spotting an open pass to Podziemski, Wiggins went up for a contested layup on a fastbreak. He lost the ball in the process. The youngster wasn’t happy with it and he made his dissatisfaction known. Andrew did not back down.

The short altercation ended as soon as it began. Before this, during a game against Denver, Brandin did not accept help from Andrew to get up from the floor. It wasn’t his best record, but it did point to something of a tension between the veterans and rookies in the locker room. Of course, the two were seen as good chums later.

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The head coach has always appreciated the youngsters amping the energy. About Brandin, he once said, “He’s got great feel for the game; he just sees it before it happens and that’s pretty rare”.

But it does seem like the era of the vets is coming to a close in the Warriors.

That does not sit well with them. But as Steve pointed out, at a certain point, all that they can care about is winning. And if that means he has to sideline the vets, then that is what he will do. All he can focus on is the group that can bring the victory.

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