Warriors center James Wiseman, who has been cleared to participate fully in practices, said on Monday that he’s getting closer to 100% and believes he’ll be able to take part in 5-on-5 scrimmages soon, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN (Twitter link). Wiseman also said he’s interested in being assigned to the G League in order to get some game reps with Santa Cruz before he returns to action for Golden State.
Wiseman’s knee injury cost him the opportunity to play in Summer League and to be a full participant in training camp, but the second-year big man believes he’s made a lot of progress since his rookie season. As Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Bay Area relays, the 20-year-old said he’s “not lost out there” anymore and has a better understanding of where he needs to be on both offense and defense.
“I feel way more comfortable because I have way more experience than last year,” Wiseman said. “Just bringing that to my second year, I don’t feel lost, I don’t feel confused out there. I feel like I know what I’m doing. This year is way better because I have the knowledge from last year to bring over to the second year and just build off that.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Suns center Deandre Ayton has met the starter criteria, assuring that his qualifying offer next summer as a restricted free agent will be worth $16.4MM. As we detailed last month, the requirements for achieving the starter criteria have been slightly adjusted this year to account for last season’s 72-game schedule, so Ayton was able to get there despite not yet totaling 82 starts across this season and 2020/21.
- The Kings‘ young backcourt of De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, and Davion Mitchell was viewed as one of the team’s primary strengths entering the season, but veterans Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes have been the team’s most reliable contributors so far this season, says Alex Didion of NBC Sports Bay Area. Barnes – who has two years left on his current contract – is averaging 23.3 PPG and 10.3 RPG with a .455 3PT%, while Holmes – who signed a new four-year deal this summer – has put up 16.3 PPG and 10.5 RPG with a .714 FG%.
- In case you missed it, we passed along several Lakers-related notes earlier today.
Please no more 3 pointers for Wiseman. And no more dribbling from one end to the other end just to get offensive foul on a charge. Instead, play defense, get blocks, easy dunks, and rebounds.
10+ Rebounds and 2+ Blocks every game!! Dont worry about points, it will come easily just by hustling and playing D and rebounding.
It’s a difficult task for a team in win-now mode to give the extra time needed to develop its young players. Wiseman is being asked to do a lot for such an inexperienced player like himself.
Isn’t every team in win-now mode?
The Warriors, if they followed my advice in the offseason, would really have been in win-now mode if they added veterans. Instead they went against my expert opinion and drafted two more rookies and are built for the future.
In hindsight a great move because Moody and Jonathan kuminga and James Wiseman should be very very good players in 3 years. Perhaps a bridge to Future winning ? I think the Warriors are set for now AND for the future. Pretty wise move even though I cringed at keeping the young guys and not trading for veteran support. Warriors actually did both signing NB, Porter Jr and Andre Iguadala, in addition to keeping Jordan Poole Moses Moody Jonathan kuminga James Wiseman Damion Lee.
Every team wants to win, of course, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in win-now mode. If the Rockets were they wouldn’t have John Wall riding the bench, right? They’re going through the growing pains right now that a young team has to persevere through leading the NBA with 18.7 turnovers per game, while committing 27 the other night in LA. Hopefully there won’t be as many tonight.
I cannot trust Myers to build the next Spurs legacy in SF
Good. The Spurs play in San Antonio, not SF. We want a Warriors legacy in the Bay Area.
There won’t be a lasting legacy for the Warriors like the one San Antonio had when they won five championships during their amazing run of making the playoffs for 22 straight seasons.
Golden State did make the playoffs 7 straight times with 5 straight Finals appearance, winning 3 of them. They had a very good run.
@Gary
I wouldn’t say OKC is in win-now mode
You’re right Pete. They seem to be Perpetual draft pick acquiring mode.
Unless they get lucky and find another James Harden or Kevin Durant in the draft, OKC will remain that way for a very long time.
So that is why they revamped the coaching staff to focus more on player development. I was thinking, “Steph Curry doesn’t need a player development coach. Especially a guy that is known for working with big men.” Who would have thunk.
He had good 3PT% for most of the year and had an unfortunate slump right before getting hurt. He also made a ton of 2s with his foot on the line that were 3PT distance which would make his numbers look much better.
I like him a lot as a pick and pop/roll lob threat. The possessions to eliminate are the face-up jumpers and iso post ups. He can drive in transition or catch and shoot open 3s or finish lobs.
He can add the fancy iso off the bounce stuff down the road once he learns to better defend without fouling, and being a consistent offensive threat providing basic 3pt and vertical spacing. Really working on rim protection on D is big to since he is athletic enough to switch.
I said the exactly same thing and was bashed by some certain person here. I also saw 2 others said the same thing too. So I guess that person bash you for saying this.
So, the Warriors should have hired you to develop Wiseman? The guy they hired is worthless? Are you the new Marty/Greenwood? You know more about running a basketball team than the people running a basketball team.
never said that. So the question was why did you bash me when a few others said the same thing? Why do you claim things NOBODY said. Never said I knew more about running a team. I just said said Wiseman should rebound and protect the rim. That is all the warriors need. So why are you making up lies?
Do you really believe that Wiseman should just stand there and rebound? Give the kid, and the coach they brought in, a little bit more credit for his abilities. Give the kid a bit more time before you put him in the stiff category.
Once again you are projecting. Wiseman needs to learn this year on defense rotations and offense rotations. He doesn’t need to be a big time outside scorer. His main duty will be rebounding and defending the rim. The scoring will come easily to him. His talent is very raw so expecting him to be the main player on the warriors is wrong.
I am not projecting any role on to him. I never said anything about what his duties should be. You said he should just stand there and rebound. They brought in a coach to work with him. Let the guy develop over the season.
There’s a reason his numbers and percentages are almost exactly the same as Garnett, Bosh, and Kat. Everybody’s gotta chill out when it comes to 20yo big men that haven’t played 45 games out of High School.
This year will be different. He won’t be playing with Bazemore and Oubre, athletic wings that get into foul trouble and want the ball. Heck, Oubre would be a PF if he was an inch taller. He has the skill set of a big man trapped in a wing’s body. Porter, Iggy, a healthy Lee, and Bjelicia are much better fits around Wiseman than Wanamaker, Paschall, Bazemore and Oubre—all of whom were either fighting for their place in the NBA(Wanamaker/Paschall)or their next contract(Oubre/Bazemore).
They got high IQ vets, and young athletes. The vets will help mentor these guys like Poole, Moody, Kuminga and Wiseman. Expecting Curry and Dray to take on the mentor job in addition to being the team leader ON the floor was a shortsighted miscalculation. Now they have the veterans to help those younger guys. They finally have a coaching staff that fits the roster and a roster that fits the coaching staff. That matters.