Warriors' Brandin Podziemski Has Broken Nose Injury; Out for Lakers Preseason Game

The Golden State Warriors will be without a key player when they face the Los Angeles Lakers in the preseason on Tuesday.

Per KNBR, guard Brandin Podziemski suffered a broken nose in Sunday's matchup with the Detroit Pistons and will be out against Los Angeles.

Head coach Steve Kerr said that Podziemski "will be fine" and is being fitted for a mask to wear when he's back on the court.

Podziemski, who is entering his second year in the NBA, is coming off a solid rookie year that saw him put up 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while playing 26.6 minutes per game, mostly off the bench.

Through four preseason games, he's put up 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

Following Klay Thompson's departure to the Dallas Mavericks this offseason, it's likely Podziemski will take over as the starter in the backcourt alongside Steph Curry, which could give him the chance to have a breakout season.

Over the offseason, the Warriors' value of Podziemski became evident as they avoided including him in trades. One of the biggest storylines of the summer was Golden State's desire to trade for Lauri Markkanen, but the Utah Jazz wanted a deal to include Podziemski. The Warriors ultimately weren't willing to part with the young talent, even for a star such as Markkanen.

Part of Golden State's allure with Podziemski is due to his contract. He will be on his four-year, $16.239 million rookie deal through the 2026-27 season, meaning he could be one of the best value players in the league if he develops the way the Warriors expect him to.