The Golden State Warriors are gearing up for their 2026-27 NBA season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, but just hours out, they’re hit with some serious injury drama around Brandin Podziemski and Charles Bassey. After dodging a bullet with Steph Curry, who practiced and is expected to play despite an ankle scare, Tuesday brought a whole different vibe: Coach Steve Kerr revealed that both Podziemski and Bassey sat out the final preseason practice and are officially questionable for the big game.
Podziemski’s Question Mark Leaves a Huge Hole
This Podziemski news? That’s a gut punch. The man is a fourth-year guard who just inked a massive five-year, $110 million extension, and he’s a guaranteed lock for the starting five. Kerr even openly said he’s leaning towards a starting unit of Curry, Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos, and Draymond Green. But now, Podziemski is battling lower back soreness. If he can’t go, the Warriors are looking at De’Anthony Melton or Brandon Williams sliding into that starting spot, and guys like Gary Payton II and possibly Will Richard picking up a ton of extra minutes in the backcourt. You can’t just casually replace a player of Podziemski’s caliber, especially with that fresh contract signaling how critical he is to the team’s plans.
Bassey’s Knee Adds to the Center Crisis
And then there’s Charles Bassey, dealing with knee tendonitis that pulled him from Friday’s preseason game. He also missed Tuesday’s practice, making him questionable for Wednesday. What’s wild is Bassey even started over Gui Santos in the preseason finale, so there was a real chance he’d get the opening day nod himself. If Bassey is ruled out, expect to see Graham Ike get some serious run. Kerr hasn’t hidden his desire to play Ike meaningful minutes, and those minutes become mandatory when Al Horford is listed as the only other healthy center option. This isn’t ideal when you’re already missing Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porziņģis, and Moses Moody from the lineup. Losing Podziemski and Bassey would truly be a huge blow to a team already navigating a short roster.
The Warriors tip off against the Lakers at 7:00 p.m. PT on Wednesday. This opener was already a massive test against a rival, but with these injury reports dropping so late, the stakes just got even higher. Keep those fingers crossed, Dubs fans, because how they manage these absences could set the tone for the entire season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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