After missing all of last season because of injuries, Warriors center James Wiseman is “really starting to make some headway” since his return to action at the Las Vegas Summer League, a source tells C.J. Holmes of The San Francisco Chronicle. Wiseman averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in four games while shooting 48.6% from the field, an encouraging performance following his long layoff.
Wiseman is focused on the aspects of his game that he needs to improve, Holmes’ source adds. The Warriors don’t know how much Wiseman will play this season or what lineups he will work best with, but they’re confident that he will eventually reach the potential that made him the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft.
Kevon Looney‘s improvement takes some of the pressure of Wiseman to contribute immediately, Holmes notes, and whenever he’s on the court he will offer assets that are unique to Golden State’s big men, such as rim protection, floor spacing and his 6’11” size. Coach Steve Kerr counts on his centers to serve as the “control tower” for the defense, and Holmes points out that Wiseman has a long way to go to be ready for that duty.
Holmes offers some more inside information on the Warriors:
- Management believes JaMychal Green, who signed with Golden State following a buyout with the Thunder, is a good fit because he has many of the same qualities as Draymond Green. The Warriors see his skill set as perfect for the team’s read-and-react style of play and believe he’s a better shooter than he gets credit for.
- Golden State put Jonathan Kuminga in the unfamiliar role of running the offense and handling the ball on pick-and-rolls during Summer League. The coaches are trying to expand what he can do on offense to make him a more complete player. Kuminga is viewed as one of the team’s top perimeter defenders, and there is hope that he can eventually be effective as a center in small-ball lineups.
- First-round pick Patrick Baldwin Jr. has been impressive in the brief time he has spent with the Warriors as he recovers from an ankle injury he suffered in college. Baldwin has displayed significant confidence and professionalism, and one staff member tells Holmes that he’s “shocked by what I’ve seen in an exciting way.”
Warriors 7 young players this year
Wiseman
Kuminga
Moody
Poole
Baldwin
Rollins
McClung
Mid age
Donte
Wiggins
Looney
Yes good looking “youth” on the Warriors roster but a bunch of those guys fall into the “let’s see it first” category before we can actually count them as contributors.
In fact, except for Jordan Poole they all have something to prove. Poole has played well on the big stage of the playoffs and finals so we can say he’s established at least offensively. Everyone else on the young list has something to prove before they can be counted as a playoff caliber rotation piece.
So even though the roster looks nice and Young with potential, a lot of huge question marks remain.
McClung? He is on a non-guaranteed contract and if Iggy decides to play another year McClung’s chances of making the roster are close to zero. Keep in mind that reports indicate the Warriors are not expected to carry a 15th man going into the start of the season.
Dont forget about Santos, Weatherspoon, and Quinones.
GSW obviously look solid right now after winning another title but they now have a pretty good young core too.
Poole Moody Baldwin Kuminga Wiseman
Be interesting to see how they develop the young guys and get them minutes aswell as compete for a title with the stars they have.
Be interesting to see what happens with Wiggins and Poole contract talks. Klay Dray and Wiseman all expire end of next season too.
Sure the talking point will be how much can they keep Wiggins and Poole for? Currently both cost a combined 38mil they will be hoping together that doesn’t change to much
Klay Dray and Wiseman expire at the end of NEXT season not this coming season, right?
link to hoopshype.com
Well it all depends who opts in, who opts out, who gets the qualifying offer, or is extended Etc. Plus Klay is under contract through 2024.
But yes the main thing is this coming season in front of us. They have their roster and they’re going to try to get it done again. They signed a couple guys who want to prove themselves worthy of a big deal elsewhere by playing well this year. Fingers crossed everyone stays healthy and they go all the way. Looking good roster wise IF the young step into roles vacated by those who left.
In draymonds mind he opting out and looking for one last big deal.
Theo, I think you’re right. And he could get that big deal elsewhere.
Who the hell thjnks J Green isn’t that good a shooter? He’s a career 37 percent from 3 and prior to last season had shot 40 percent from there the last 3 years.
poor writing, seems like dude is just shooting from the hip. I’ve also never seen Wiseman mentioned to as anything less than 7’0″, sometimes 7’1″
Arthur Hill is a Warriors hater? Why even say that? Wiseman is 7’0″ and it says it everywhere online…
Pretty obvious too when you see the photo of him and Kuminga standing together. Kuminga is not a small dude and he looks downright tiny compared to Wiseman…
I mean, he couldn’t hit anything last year with Denver.
And he shot .399 on 6.4 attempts the year previous, .366 career. I don’t think one down year is enough to say that he has “reputation” as a bad shooter.
Clippers vs Warriors in WCF.
Yes looking at the Clippers roster they are pretty deep. That backup center who left could be a big loss but with small ball maybe not so much. Again it all depends on health, you never know who’s going to get struck and who’s going to survive.
Then with the Warriors.., can the old guys hold up another season and will the young guys step into roles vacated by those who left? Such a crapshoot, you never know who’s going to come out on top in the west.
Morris can pickup minutes at the 5 so Hartenstiein isn’t a huge loss. If all else fails there’s some guts they can sign for the minimum to eat up fouls.
I mean Covington and butum also have experience there in small ball lineups. Mann, pg, kawhi, batum, Covington might actually be their best lineup.
None of that matters compared to whether KL and PG are healthy. No stars is a big problem just ask last years Clips!
The west is going to be so competitive this season. Still too early to say who will be the best out of the top 4 teams. Pelicans and T-wolves could move up into top 4 with their new lineups.
I really want to trade Draymond for a rookie contract plus expiring contract
Tax saving
Sillivan, you don’t trade a guy who’s part of the core who won a championship last year. You run it back under every circumstance. Especially someone as important as Green. He’s your best big man Defender and he actually is the captain of the defense if there’s such a thing. The Warriors need him this season to try to get that fifth ring for these guys.
Next summer is a different story but trading Green now is not happening in any case at all. The only caveat is at the trade deadline and two major core pieces are out for the season with injury. Then you dump Draymond to a contender and he puts them over the top.
Go for it dude. Nobody is stopping you.
Dubs in 5.
Vegas agrees.
Easy chip if everyone stays healthy. No one is close.
the Kings could be good in the West this season, the Rockets could surprise, W’s definitely the favorites in the West, a lot to be said for keeping a core group together, the Celtics will give them a run.
Gallanari already hurt? This international play must drive GMs crazy
Celtics will “give them a run” in that they might make the finals and lose against them, but that C’s roster looks horrendous compared to GSWs.
You think the Celtics are “extremely unpleasant, horrifying, or terrible” compared to the warriors.
You don’t seem biased at all.
Curtis you know better than that. A’sfaninLexington is tilted, off center, not quite up to speed.
The Celtics I think have to be favored to win it all next year in the entire league. They’re young, they were right there last year and if Tatum plays a little bit better in the finals they win it all last year.
Celtics like all teams have holes in their game. They lost because they couldn’t keep up with GSW 3pt shooting. Celtics have a tough road to the finals if Heat and Bucks are fully healthy.
They also couldn’t dribble left. Tough to win a championship with that kind of limitation. The Warriors discovered it and ate them alive.
Interesting extrapolation of the word “horrendous”.
Boston had a great offseason, and given how dominant they were the second half of last year I think you have to put them as front-runners in the East.
My only concern is Bob W. That roster with him in the lineup is basically unstoppable. But when he’s out it’s a different team.
Also will be interesting to see how Tatum and Brown come back – do either or both have another level to reach?
Bob?
Great roster management by the front office.
Glad fizdale isn’t with the team anymore because he would be pleading to start J Green over D Green like he did with Randolph. What a bum fizdale is
This is what a roster can look like if you don’t have to trade everything away to keep your super stars happy.
This is what it can look like when you are an NBA team owner as your side gig and you don’t need to use profits to support your lifestyle and for your whole family.
Joe Lacob has other businesses. Does the Buss family have other businesses? Maybe they do I’m not sure but the Lakers probably provide some of that income to live on. Sure is nice that the Warriors can pour back into the team most of the money the franchise generates.
Who do the Clips run with in that fine backcourt ? Mann Kennard Powell Wall Jackson or the rookie Preston ? Does Boston make the team ? Hard to keep everyone happy on a deep squad.