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Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody each underwent surgery on their shooting hands, adding context to their postseason woes.
Both Warriors are expected to make full recoveries and be ready for the start of training camp.
The team announced that Podziemski had debridement surgery to the left wrist this week in Los Angeles. Moody had a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb repaired last week.
When Steph Curry went out with a left hamstring strain in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors needed their young role players to step up. Jonathan Kuminga went from out of the rotation to 20-point scorer, delivering with the opportunity. But Podziemski and Moody largely struggled.
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Moody, who had established himself as a starter next to Curry and Jimmy Butler, shot 30.8% from behind the arc in his first 10 playoff games. As his limitations as a shot creator became evident with Curry sidelined, he nearly fell out of Golden State’s rotation.
Podziemski finished his season strong with a 28-point burst on 11-for-19 shooting in a Game 5 loss, but battled through a brutal shooting drought before that. In the first four games of the Timberwolves series, the second-year guard shot 9-for-40 (22.5%) from the field and 17.6% from 3-point range.
Without Curry, Podziemski had to shoulder significantly more on-ball playmaking responsibilities. It was also his first taste of postseason basketball, where opposing defenses scout more heavily and key in on players’ tendencies.
Podziemski averaged 11.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game on 36.4% field goal shooting in the playoffs.
Season accolades
Curry was named to the All-NBA Second Team last week, his 11th career all-league selection. Only 21 players ever have made at least 11 All-NBA teams.
Curry has earned All-NBA honors in 11 of his last 12 seasons, with the only exception in 2019-20, when he played just five games because of a fractured hand that ended his season.
The 2024-25 season was the sixth time Curry converted at least 300 3-pointers. He averaged 24.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Here are the All-NBA teams:
First Team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic
Second Team: Curry, Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James, Evan Mobley
Third Team: Tyrese Haliburton, Cade Cunningham, James Harden, Jalen Williams, Karl-Anthony Towns
The Warriors’ other dynastic pillar, Draymond Green, was named First Team All-Defense. That came as no surprise, as Green finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Green was the biggest factor in Golden State ranking seventh in defensive rating overall and first after the All-Star break. He committed to playing center almost exclusively in the second half of the season, a difficult role for him that the team intends to avoid for a full season going forward.
“I don’t want to start next season with Draymond as our starting 5,” Steve Kerr said in his exit interview earlier this month. “I think it’s doable for the last 30 games like we did this year, but you see the toll it takes on him.”