James Wiseman is a big man that many Warriors fans have lamented not having on their roster currently. He could’ve provided them with a weapon to counter the Lakers’ interior strength.
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Wiseman was selected by the Golden State Warriors as the no. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. It was a questionable decision even at the time, despite his clear potential and athleticism.
After all, they had the opportunity to draft the dynamic LaMelo Ball, who went to Charlotte instead. Melo went on to win Rookie of the Year honors before making his All-Star bow as a sophomore.
Clearly, the Warriors missed out on a potential difference-maker as they looked to move on from the Splash Brothers era. Klay Thompson, after all, found himself missing 2020-21 because of an Achilles tear suffered the day after that draft.
They attempted a two-timeline run by trying to contend while developing their youngsters at the same time. However, after the Warriors’ hot start to 2021-22, this approach was discarded.
Where is James Wiseman now?
The Warriors gave up hope of using James Wiseman earlier this year. They sent him to the Detroit Pistons in a 4-team trade which got them Gary Payton II back.
Wiseman gained a lot of NBA-level reps during the 2020-21 season when the Warriors had the 8th-best record in the West but lost to Memphis and the Lakers to bow out of the postseason.
However, missing most of his one-and-done season for the Memphis Tigers truly set him back. Thrust into a starting role in perhaps the most demanding NBA motion offense today, Wiseman showed his lack of understanding of the game.
His inability to find himself in the right spot on either end of the floor meant that he’s been sent to the G-League on a number of occasions already. Clearly, his developmental timeline lines up much better with the tanking Pistons rather than the contending Golden State.
How would Wiseman help against Anthony Davis and co?
The Warriors’ tallest big man – Kevon Looney – is strictly a defensive player. At 6’9″, 230 lbs, he’s also not big enough to outmaneuver the stronger, yet lither Anthony Davis.
On top of that, neither Draymond nor Looney pose any kind of an interior threat as offensive options. Their scoring is strictly limited to putbacks and the rare open pick-and-roll look.
Wiseman, at least theoretically, presents more of an offensive option. He has the ability to take and make looks from the elbow range, and is also more explosive than even Anthony Davis.
As things stand, the Warriors will be taking a beating from the Lakers’ robust frontcourt without much by way of an offensive threat.
