HONOLULU — As warmups ended before their first preseason game together as teammates, two Warriors hugged each other as they fought for a spot in the starting lineup. Brandin Podziemski turned to De’Anthony Melton in the layup line and spread his arms wide before the two smiled, laughed and hugged each other tightly.

About an hour and a half earlier, after keeping tight-lipped for days and refusing to reveal his plans, coach Steve Kerr finally told reporters that Melton would start in the backcourt alongside Steph Curry and also exchanged words with Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and others would share with Trayce Jackson-Davis.

The pregame moment between teammates reflected what a week-long absence in Hawaii was all about, as well as their time together at Chase Center leading up to training camp. Bonding was a requirement and the chemistry was quickly formed.

On paper, Podziemski and Melton could have formed bad blood in the fight for the same spot. As a rookie, Podziemski was the one who replaced Klay Thompson in the starting lineup and is considered a rising face of the franchise. Melton was courted by the Warriors using the mid-level exception by waiving Chris Paul and signing the combo guard to a one-year, $12.8 million contract. The front office wasn’t afraid to hide how much they wanted him, both from Melton and from each other.

Now he’s the first to become Curry’s new backcourt mate for the 2024-25 NBA season, along with a nickname from Podziemski that he laughs off while still trying to figure out his reasons.

“That’s my dog,” Melton says of Podziemski. “He calls me OG, but I’m not that old so I don’t know about it. But that’s my dog. We actually chopped it up properly. We just check each other out, see what’s going on, and I like being around him.”

In the locker room after the Warriors’ stunning 91-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, the never-shy 21-year-old Podziemski explained his thinking behind his OG of a 26-year-old Melton.

“I call De’Anthony OG because he looks old as hell, but he’s only 26,” Podziemski joked. “It was good. We just clicked and vibed. There is no ego. We just want to go out and cheer each other on.”

There is no imitation of Klay Thompson. The Warriors haven’t tried to replace him with a single player, although it’s easy to see how a combination of two rookies could fill his role. Buddy Hield is the sniper who can spark a downtown offense at a moment’s notice, as shown by his first shot attempt as a Warrior – a 3-pointer off an assist from Podziemski.

Melton isn’t the same flamethrower from deep as Hield or Thompson. He still more than holds his own offensively, and he’s the closest thing the Warriors have to a two-way guard, as Curry and Thompson complemented each other perfectly before Klay suffered at the end en route to five straight NBA Finals Two devastating setbacks during the season due to leg injuries.

The way he connects the game was evident throughout camp. The disruption was particularly evident during a sequence in the second quarter when Melton sustained a play and immediately found Curry at the top of the arc. The result was that Curry unleashed his supernatural strength and released the ball to Melton.

Melton ➡ Steph ➡ M3lton pic.twitter.com/iOnP3PXYlj

– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 5, 2024

Golden State also scored its first points of the game when Curry assisted on a three-pointer from Melton.

Steph finds Melton for 3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/lRvaryu5Ii

– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 5, 2024

“They look great together,” Kerr said. “I know Steph didn’t shoot well, but they’re looking for each other. De’Anthony is a really good shooter, but also a playmaker and gets involved in everything defensively. I’m a really big fan of De’Anthony and I really like the depth of our offense.”

Whether as a member of the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies or Philadelphia 76ers, Melton often chased Curry around the court. Players and coaches have also let Melton know that they believe he should have been on the floor more for the Grizzlies against the Warriors in the 2022 playoffs, an act of admiration that he smiles kindly and accepts without even saying to provide a single shade to old teams.

Now that he and Curry are on the same page, he had to remind himself what a different feeling it is to have him as a teammate.

“You don’t understand your movement until you’re on the field,” Melton explained. “One time he threw the ball and I’m on the weak side and it flies away and I’m like, ‘Oh, I forgot about that!’ You know what I mean. You have to stay committed to things like this.

“I think everyone is committed to this offense and that’s what I love about it.”

Their first appearance wasn’t perfect for Curry and Melton. However, there were flashes. The idea of ​​why this can work is clear. Little by little, the Warriors are confident they have a new duo they can trust.

Just like they can trust Podziemski with multiple roles on any given night. On Saturday, his job was to lead a second unit consisting of Hield, Gary Payton II, Kyle Anderson and Kevon Looney, and later Moses Moody. Podziemski, like almost all of the Warriors, struggled shooting, but led the team with four assists and was second in plus/minus at plus-5, completing the pass of the game with ease.

Podz hits GP2 with the power bounce assist 🤯 pic.twitter.com/6kPAS3Zj8B

– Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 5, 2024

“I don’t mind,” Podziemski said. “Whoever I play with, whether I’m starting or coming off the bench, I just want to finish the games and be where the most important plays are made. Whether I’m in the starting line-up or whether I come off the bench doesn’t really matter. I’m proud to lead the second group.

“The point guard is supposed to be a leader out there. I think I did that today. … From a broader perspective of leadership and as a point guard, I think I did pretty well.”

Yoga together in Oahu’s paradise North Shore may have been a factor. Whatever it is, these warriors have a different sense of purpose that is anything but stale. There’s something rowdy about them. Tough. Spirited. Together.

“We added veterans, but we feel younger,” summarizes Podziemski.

The quickly building relationship between Podziemski and Melton, only five years apart and linked by an ironic two-letter nickname, is an example of the Warriors turning over a new leaf and bringing a fresh vibe to a A new era that has excited many has begun.

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