The first game for the Warriors after the trade deadline is not easy, as Brandin Podziemski seemingly goes back to the locker room. The Golden State is already without Stephen Curry, Seth Curry, and Jimmy Butler, but Podz’s exit is apparently not due to a physical impact as of yet.

With 2:11 remaining in the first, Brandin Podziemski “asked out of the game after a four-minute stint and went straight to the locker room.” The 22-year-old guard started from the bench and had missed all of his shots (0-3). In fact, his last three-pointer attempt was emphatically blocked by the Suns’ Mark Williams. Still, the reason for his exit “wasn’t clear” as per Anthony Slater.

Further reports also confirmed that Podziemski had looked toward the bench and signaled for a sub a few possessions prior. Podz did not feature in the second quarter, but came out at halftime to get some shots up. Meanwhile, the Warriors stated that Podziemski isn’t feeling well and was questionable to return.

Head coach Steve Kerr decided to bring back Podz with 8:06 left in the third quarter. Meaning, the illness is not severe enough to stop the former Santa Clara star. Before the game against the Suns, he had started in 7 straight games, but the inconsistencies remain.

The Wisconsin native had 18 turnovers in that spell, but failed to score more than 15 points in any of those seven games. He earned those starts on the back of his season-best 24 points against the Miami Heat, in which he also had six rebounds and 43% shooting from beyond the arc. But that season’s high performance is often overlooked due to his mixed form.

Brandin Podziemski receives support after multiple viral moments

In one game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road, Podz became a talking point for all the wrong reasons. With Stephen Curry, De’Anthony Melton, Draymond Green, and Al Horford out in addition to Jimmy Butler, it was time for Podziemski to lead, but the Warriors suffered a blowout loss of 108-83. In the first quarter, the pressure of initiating the offense got to him.

Brandin Podziemski was guilty of not just one, but two ball-handling blunders in a brutal sequence with less than five minutes left in the first quarter. On the first mishap, he lost control of the ball and nearly gave it away with an over-and-back violation. But after retrieving the ball, he proceeded to mishandle the rock, coughing it up to Naz Reid. In the 4th quarter, while on the bench, his face was emotional when the cameras panned to him.

The video with the caption “Podz looks like he’s about to CRY 😭” went viral on social media. It also marked the third straight game for the young guard in which he failed to make a three-pointer. Thankfully, he has the support of the Warriors veteran.

“With him, I say ‘Be careful.’ The more you tell people, the more they use it against you and try to tear you down,” said Green about Brandin Podziemski’s desire to lead the team once he and Steph Curry retire. ” We believe that he’s going to be one of the guys that take the torch.” Now, that’s an endorsement that stands up to any off-night or trolling on social media.