Golden State Warriors player Brandin Podziemski is set to miss his 10th game in a row. The Dubs take on the Washington Wizards at home. Despite not playing on Saturday, Podziemski has made considerable strides in his recovery from an abdominal injury.

Head coach Steve Kerr revealed that the shooting guard scrimmaged for the first time since he got injured. This is a major step in his recovery process. “He scrimmaged today for the first time. We didn’t go very long, but it was important for him to get that first run in.” That was what Kerr had to say about Brandin’s recovery.

Brandin hasn’t played so far in the year of 2025. The Warriors had originally set January 5 as the date for Podziemski’s return. A valuable squad player, they were counting on him to keep the Sacramento Kings at bay. However, Brandin continued to miss games due to his injury, and the Warriors were beaten by 30 points by the Kings. What probably stung more is that the likes of De’Aaron Fox were missing from the Kings’ lineup for that game.

So far this season, Podziemski has averaged 8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 30 games. He remains on the court for 24.2 minutes on average, shooting field goals at a 40% clip. While these stats are world-class by no means, they still add a lot of value to the team. And surely the Warriors miss what Brandin Podziemski brings to the table for them.

However, the absence of Podziemski is just a symptom. The root cause lies elsewhere and runs much deeper than an injury to a single player.

Should the Warriors bring in some backup as they aim for another title?

Even though Podziemski will be back soon, his injury has highlighted a crucial flaw in how the Dubs set up. Namely, their lack of depth in the front court. With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green getting up there in age, and players like Podziemski still being relatively green in the league, the Warriors should look toward the trade market for some backup.

Utah Jazz veteran John Collins has been linked with the Bay Area team for a while now. Per Hoopshype, the Warriors have already made inquiries with many teams as they look to bolster their frontcourt presence. And it seems the Jazz forward is at the top of their list.

Averaging 17.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and shooting at 52.5% clip ahead of the Jazz’s clash against the New Orleans Pelicans, Collins will surely be a great addition to the Dubs’ roster.

Other players the Warriors have also inquired about include the Chicago Bulls‘ Nikola Vucevic, the Washington Wizards‘ Jonas Valanciunas, and the Portland Trail Blazers‘ Robert Williams II. As they look toward options like these, their chances of making blockbuster trades like bringing in Jimmy Butler have gone down significantly, sources say.

If the Dubs truly want to give the NBA title another go with the likes of Curry and Green, they’ll need to make their move soon as the deadline rapidly approaches!