James Wiseman Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Paul, Haliburton, Wiseman, George, Kings, Lakers

June 19th, 2021 at 1:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Suns guard Chris Paul entered the league’s health and safety protocols on Wednesday morning, and has been ruled out indefinitely pending his COVID-19 test results. With the Clippers defeating the Jazz on Saturday night to advance to the Western Conference Finals, head coach Monty Williams and the Suns are now preparing to enter their series against the Clippers without their star point guard.

While Williams wasn’t ready to give up on the idea of Paul playing, he is preparing to have to name another starter and Cameron Payne seems the likely replacement, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

“Cam has played with the starters a lot this year,” Williams said. “So it’s not anything that he hasn’t done or he’s not used to. So that part won’t change.”

Payne is coming off a breakout season following a strong performance in last year’s summer restart, and will soon face his biggest test as a pro.

“I’m just getting ready like any other series,” said Payne, as reported by Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin. “Just being ready to play when my name’s called. If I get an opportunity, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure I’m ready.”

We have more from around the Pacific Division:

Kings rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton is fully healthy and ready to begin his offseason training, he reported on a recent episode of JJ Redick’s Old Man and the Three podcast. Haliburton also underwent Lasik eye surgery to avoid needing contacts moving forward, according to James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Former Warriors guard Leandro Barbosa weighs in on number two pick James Wiseman‘s rookie season, his struggles and his promise heading into year two, as covered by NBC Sports Bay Area’s Josh Schrock. “It’s complicated, but at the end of the day he’s a talent, he’s a guy that if he works, he’s going to be a very good player,” said Barbosa. “He’s able to do a bit of everything on the court. He’s just gotta understand the offense and the way we like to play.” Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets that there’s still a chance Wiseman works out with Kevin Garnett this offseason, which was the plan before Wiseman suffered a knee injury. “It should still happen. For sure,” says Wiseman.
Paul George and the Clippers rallied following news of Kawhi Leonard‘s ACL injury, winning two straight games to advance to the Western Conference Finals. George, who hasn’t reached a Conference Finals since 2014, discussed the relief of getting past the second round, as tweeted by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “It was a special night,” George said. “You felt the monkey off of the Clippers’ back in terms of getting out of the second round.”
NBC Sports Bay Area’s James Ham discusses the Kings‘ hopes for a little extra luck during Tuesday’s draft lottery. He also suggests that if the Kings fail to move up (they have a 20% chance to jump into the top four), everyone will potentially be available for trades outside of De’Aaron Fox and Haliburton.
Following a season ravaged by injuries, the Lakers have decided not to renew the contract of their trainer, reports ESPN’s David McMenamin. Nina Hsieh was hired two years ago after being the head trainer for the Lakers’ G League team. McMenamin says to expect more changes as the Lakers continue to try to revamp their staff to focus on player health.

Ball, Edwards, Haliburton Head All-Rookie Team

June 17th, 2021 at 7:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Jae’Sean Tate and Saddiq Bey comprised this year’s All-Rookie First Team, the NBA announced on Thursday in a press release.

Ball, who was named Rookie of the Year on Thursday, led first-year NBA players in assists (6.1 APG) and steals (1.59 SPG) and ranked second in scoring (15.7 PPG) and rebounding (5.9 RPG) for the Hornets. Edwards, the No. 1 pick in the draft by the Timberwolves, averaged a rookie-high 19.3 PPG.

The Kings’ Haliburton ranked third among rookies in scoring (13.0 PPG) and second in assists (5.3 APG). Bey, the 19th overall pick, made a rookie-high 175 three-pointers for the Pistons. Tate, who went undrafted in 2018 and played in Australia last season, averaged 11.3 PPG and 5.3 PPG for the Rockets.

Ball and Edwards were the only unanimous First Team selections, receiving 99 of 99 potential First Team votes. Haliburton got 98, while Bey had 63 and Tate received 57.

Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley narrowly missed out on the top five, having earned 51 votes for the First Team.

Here are both All-Rookie teams in full, with their voting point totals notes in parentheses. Players received two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote.

2020/21 All-Rookie First Team:

LaMelo Ball, Hornets (198)
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves (198)
Tyrese Haliburton, Kings (197)
Saddiq Bey, Pistons (162)
Jae’Sean Tate, Rockets (154)

2020/21 All-Rookie Second Team:

Immanuel Quickley, Knicks (148)
Desmond Bane, Grizzlies (88)
Isaiah Stewart, Pistons (71)
Isaac Okoro, Cavaliers (53)
Patrick Williams, Bulls (50)

Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo (42), Magic guard Cole Anthony (40), and Warriors center James Wiseman (24) were among the players who just missed the cut. Nine other players received votes — you can view the full voting results right here.

Warriors Notes: Milojević, Wiseman, Lottery, Floor Spacers

June 15th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Dejan Milojević, who coached Mega Basket in Serbia from 2012-20 before joining Budućnost for the 2020/21 season, will join the Warriors‘ staff for the ’21/22 campaign, according to a report from Montenegrin outlet Vijesti. Anthony Slater of The Athletic confirms that the Warriors and Milojević have agreed to terms on a deal, and says an official announcement is expected in the coming days.

As Slater details, Milojević has a good record of developing big men, having most notably coached future NBA MVP Nikola Jokic for three years in Serbia before Jokic arrived stateside. Milojević will take on a player development role with the Warriors and will assume an “important level of responsibility” in the growth of last year’s No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman, Slater writes.

Here’s more out of Golden State:

In a separate story for The Athletic, Slater examines what’s at stake for the Warriors in next Tuesday’s draft lottery, outlining the best- and worst-case scenarios for the team’s own pick and the Timberwolves’ top-three protected selection. As Slater notes, the worst-case scenario is harder to pinpoint — having the Wolves’ pick slip to eighth, ninth, or even 10th obviously wouldn’t be ideal, but if Minnesota hangs onto it and then takes a major step forward next season (when the pick would be unprotected), that might be even worse.
While the return of Klay Thompson will add another three-point threat to the Warriors’ roster next season, Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area suggests the team could benefit from adding another floor-spacer and identifies Bobby Portis as a player who should be of interest in free agency.
In case you missed it, Warriors forward/center Draymond Green is among the first players to commit to Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics this summer.

Kerr: No Regrets On Wiseman Plan; Changes Coming

June 5th, 2021 at 11:26am CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has “no regrets” about the organization’s decision to force-feed lottery pick James Wiseman in the early stages of this season, he told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview.

After Klay Thompson suffered another season-ending injury prior to the draft, the Warriors brass decided that this season would be “about getting ready for next year in a lot of ways,” Kerr said. Getting Wiseman acclimated to the NBA game became a higher priority.

“No regrets at all. I think it made perfect sense to start him right away,” Kerr said of the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft. “And then I think we started him for the first 16, 17 games, and at that point, that’s when I decided to start (Kevon) Looney. And that decision felt right, too, because we’d given him a good month or so, month and a half, bigger sample size so we knew what we were dealing with.”

Wiseman’s season was cut short in early April by a knee injury. Stephen Curry‘s offensive efficiency numbers were much lower with Wiseman on the court but Kerr is confident they’ll coexist in the future. It’s likely Wiseman will come off the bench next season.

“The way I look at it, he’s 20 years old, unbelievably talented,” Kerr said. “I’ve said all these things many times, but it’s worth repeating. Twenty years old and talented and a great kid. Just be patient and he’s going to develop.”

There were several other notable statements made by Kerr during the interview. Here’s some of the highlights:

Staff changes will be made. “A staff is no different from a roster where you get a little stale and you need some new blood, you need some new energy, you need to maybe move some things around, move some pieces around, change roles. There’s a lot that we’re discussing.”
Roster changes will also be made and Kerr is seeking more veterans, regardless of positions. “You want size and shooting in the same package. You want (a player like) Andre Iguodala, you want somebody who can guard multiple positions and when you get into a playoff game you want somebody who can guard LeBron (James) or Kawhi (Leonard), those guys. But somebody who can also make plays offensively.”
Despite some serious back issues in prior seasons, Kerr is feeling much better physically and still has a zest for coaching. “It’s really a lot of fun for me. I have no plans on stepping down any time soon.”

Scotto’s Latest: Oubre, Bazemore, Wiseman, Ball, Spurs

May 27th, 2021 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have interest in bringing back free agent wings Kelly Oubre and Kent Bazemore, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. However, it sounds like neither player will be as affordable on his next contract as he was on his previous deal.

Appearing on the HoopsHype podcast alongside Yossi Gozlan, Scotto said he has gotten the sense from a league source that Oubre and his camp believe they can get a long-term contract worth at least $20MM annually, which may be higher than the Warriors are willing to go. As for Bazemore, Scotto didn’t specify an asking price, but said the goal for the veteran forward is to get a multiyear deal — ideally one that covers three years rather than two.

The Warriors have Oubre’s full Bird rights, but only hold Non-Bird rights on Bazemore, so their ability to offer him a raise on his minimum-salary contract will be limited.

Here’s more from Scotto, including another note on the Warriors:

Although the Warriors won’t be actively looking to move James Wiseman, they’d be open to listening to inquiries on the big man if an All-Star caliber player is available, a league source tells Scotto.
There’s a belief that Lonzo Ball will be able to get around $20MM per year in restricted free agency, though it’s unclear if the Pelicans are prepared to go that high, says Scotto, adding that rumors of the Bulls’ interest in the former No. 2 overall pick seem to “have some legs.”
Re-signing RFAs-to-be Ball and Josh Hart would almost certainly take the Pelicans into luxury tax territory, so Scotto expects Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams to be names that come up in trade rumors this offseason. Bledsoe will earn $18.1MM in 2021/22, while Adams will make $17.1MM.
Scotto says he has heard from an executive or two around the NBA that Spurs assistant Will Hardy is viewed as a legit candidate to be Gregg Popovich‘s eventual replacement as San Antonio’s head coach. Hardy received consideration from multiple teams that sought a head coach in 2020.

Warriors Notes: Oubre, Thompson, Wiseman, Curry

May 26th, 2021 at 7:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kelly Oubre‘s willingness to accept a reserve role may determine his decision in free agency this summer, writes Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area. In his end-of-season press conference this week, Warriors coach Steve Kerr indicated that Oubre would be used as a sixth man if he returns to the team next season.

“(Klay Thompson)’s going to start when he gets back. So would Kelly be interested in coming off the bench? That’s a question only he can answer,” Kerr said. “So he’ll weigh his options, we’ll weigh ours and we’ll see where it all goes.”

Golden State traded for Oubre in November to help fill the vacancy left when Thompson tore his Achilles. Oubre had an up-and-down season, but he averaged 15.4 points and 6.0 rebounds and would be a dangerous weapon off the bench if the Warriors can keep him.

There’s more on the Warriors:

Kerr expects Thompson’s return to be a memorable moment for both him and the fans, relays Jon Becker of The San Jose Mercury News. In a radio interview this week, Kerr said having Thompson back after missing two years with injuries will be a boost to the entire organization. “Everyone loves Klay. He’s such a breath of fresh air. He’s so much fun to be around,” Kerr said. “And then the fact that when we walk into camp for the first time, it’s all together with Klay being on the court with the rest of the guys in training camp. That means everybody’s spirits will be higher, including mine.”
James Wiseman‘s meniscus surgery last month forced the team to delay a plan to have him work out with Kevin Garnett over the summer, according to Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area. The Warriors don’t expect to issue an official update on Wiseman’s condition until September, and they hope he will be ready for the start of training camp. “KG is pretty unique — on the court and what he brings and the mentality,” president of basketball operations Bob Myers said. “Exposing James to a guy like that (would be great). We (also) talked to David West and we were gonna get something going with him. So we have these people in mind that we think can really be helpful.”
Stephen Curry, who will be eligible for a four-year, $215.4MM extension starting in August, deserves to be a Warrior for life, Poole contends in a separate story.

Warriors Rumors: Curry, Klay, Wiseman, Oubre, More

May 24th, 2021 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors star Stephen Curry will be entering a contract year in 2021/22, but he’ll be eligible to sign an extension once the new league year begins in August. And Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers told reporters today that he’s “pretty confident” the two sides will get something done, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.

Curry is earning a $45.78MM salary next season. Because that amount is technically over the maximum salary, he could only get a 5% raise for the first year of an extension, rather than the usual 20% that veterans are eligible for. Still, that would put him in line for a maximum extension worth a staggering $215MM over four years on a deal that would cover his age 34-37 seasons. It remains to be seen if the Warriors will go quite that high, but after the season Curry just had, the team isn’t likely to low-ball him.

Myers also told reporters today that Curry’s impressive run down the stretch of the 2020/21 season occurred despite a hairline fracture in his tailbone.

“Small hairline, but as I’ve been told the pain was coming more from a contusion,” Myers said (Twitter link via Slater).

Here’s more on the Warriors:

According to Slater (Twitter link), Myers sounded skeptical today that Klay Thompson will be ready to go by opening night in 2021/22. Thompson’s Achilles tear occurred last November, so he won’t be a full year removed from the injury by the time the season starts, says Slater, noting that the idea is to ease the veteran swingman back into action.
Myers said the hope is for James Wiseman to be recovered from his knee surgery in time for training camp, adding that he expects the big man to be on the team next season and doesn’t want to trade him. “I think he can be helpful in the future and in the present,” Myers said of 2020’s No. 2 overall pick (Twitter links via Slater).
Myers said today that he believes the Warriors’ roster is in need of more veterans (Twitter link via Slater). When asked about specific team needs, Myers mentioned a floor-spacing big man, a play-making guard, and more shooting, noting that he’d like any free agent additions to have some playoff experience (Twitter links via Wes Goldberg of The San Jose Mercury News and Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area).
Addressing Kelly Oubre‘s free agency, Myers said he hopes the veteran forward is back and said Oubre has made it clear “he’d like to be here.” However, Myers cautioned that he can’t predict what the market will look like and added that Oubre would have to be comfortable with a bench role (Twitter links via Slater and ESPN’s Nick Friedell).

Warriors Notes: Toscano-Anderson, Wiseman, Poole, Green

May 14th, 2021 at 6:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Juan Toscano-Anderson has signed a standard contract that includes a fully guaranteed minimum salary for next season and he’s extremely grateful, as he told Anthony Slater of The Athletic and other media members (Twitter link). The 6’6” Warriors swingman calls it a “life-changing contract, a life-changing signature” and vows to work even harder. “I get kind of paranoid in situations like this,” he said. “I am happy but the real work starts now. I don’t feel pressure but there’s more I need to do, I need to raise the bar.”

We have more on the Warriors:

James Wiseman had a spotty rookie season cut short by injury but coach Steve Kerr promises that the No. 2 pick of the draft won’t disappoint in the long run, Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “I have no doubt James is going to make a huge impact in this league,” Kerr said. “He’s gonna be a hell of a player, but it takes time and you can’t rush that process, unfortunately. It just has to happen on its own time, so he’ll get there, but we’ll just have to keep working with him. The good thing is he’s a great student, and he’s a hard worker and got a great approach. “
Jordan Poole has continued to be a key player during the second half of the season, Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. The former University of Michigan guard is averaging 13.6 PPG and 2.4 APG since the All-Star break. Poole is under contract for next season and the team holds a $3.9MM option for the 2022/23 campaign.
Draymond Green asserts his defensive impact goes far beyond stats, as he described to Sam Amick of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview. “One thing I am certain of is that I can (mess) up an entire team’s offense,” he said. “And so, when you look at the impact that I have on the defensive side of the ball, it’s not always going to show up in blocked shots. It’s not always going to show up in steals. But I guarantee you it shows up in your favorite-player-who-I-may-be-playing-against’s mind.”

Warriors Notes: Toscano-Anderson, Wiseman, Paschall, Wolves’ Pick

May 8th, 2021 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Juan Toscano-Anderson, who is expected to be promoted to the Warriors‘ 15-man roster next week after playing on a two-way contract all season, has impressed coach Steve Kerr with the way he plays the game, writes Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area. In a radio interview Friday, Kerr praised Toscano-Anderson for sticking to his NBA dream.

“Twenty-eight years old, he’s bounced around the entire world playing basketball, and I think our fans love him,” Kerr said. “I know we love him as a coaching staff. The guy just gets it. He plays with great energy, he’s smart, he’s tough. He’s improved his skill now as a passer and a shooter to a point where he’s really making a lot of plays out there for us.”

Toscano-Anderson has become a more efficient shooter from everywhere on the court in his second NBA season, White points out. He’s also part of Golden State’s lineup with the best net rating and best offensive rating.

“(When) a guy knows how to play and he can guard multiple spots, he can play in any combination, and that’s his real value to our team,” Kerr said. “He’s not dependent on a certain combination. In pretty much every case, he makes whatever combination he’s with better.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Kerr said rookie center James Wiseman is in “great spirits” following meniscus surgery last month, White adds in a separate story. It’s not certain that Wiseman will be ready for the start of training camp, but Kerr said he plans to rehab at the team facility during the offseason. “James is a really willing athlete. Willing, patient. He wants to be here,” Kerr said. “He wants to get better however he can, so we’ll give him every opportunity to improve — both on the floor once he’s ready to get out there, but also obviously in the training room and in the weight room.”
The team isn’t sure if Eric Paschall will return before the end of the regular season, tweets Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area. Recovering from a hip flexor strain, Paschall has been able to scrimmage but has barely practiced and is considered day to day.
This year probably presents the best chance for Golden State to earn maximum value from the Timberwolves‘ first-round pick, says Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle. Minnesota’s selection is top-three protected in 2021 and unprotected in 2022, but the Wolves have shown signs of improvement and may not be among the league’s worst teams next season. Minnesota is tied for second in our current Reverse Standings, but could move “down” several spots with a strong finish. If the Wolves have the league’s second- or third-worst record, the Warriors will have nearly a 60% chance of seeing the pick convey this year.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Wiseman, Toscano-Anderson

April 16th, 2021 at 7:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors star Stephen Curry will be entering a contract year in 2021/22 if he doesn’t reach an extension agreement in the offseason with the team. However, he doesn’t sound like someone eager to test free agency. Asked by ESPN’s Rachel Nichols (video link) how much of a priority it is to spend his entire career in Golden State, Curry affirmed that’s his plan.

“It’s always been a priority,” Curry said. “When you look at guys like Dirk (Nowitzki), Kobe (Bryant), that I played against and have heard them talk about what that’s meant, they don’t speak on it lightly. There’s a reverence for that club.

“You never know what can happen, obviously, but I feel like that’s always been something that would mean so much to me. You want to stay competitive, you want to stay in that fight where you’re winning championships. If I can accomplish both, that’s the ultimate goal.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr confirmed on Thursday night that James Wiseman‘s surgery was the more intricate meniscus repair, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. That procedure involves a longer recovery time, as we discussed earlier this week. It’s the same route the Grizzlies took with Jaren Jackson Jr., who has yet to play this season.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic breaks down the takeaways from Wiseman’s rookie season and looks ahead to what’s next for the young center, noting that the 20-year-old’s offense was ahead of his defense in year one.
Juan Toscano-Anderson has outplayed his two-way contract this season and figures to earn a promotion to the standard roster at some point, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “You hope that (two-way) tag doesn’t last too much longer,” Curry said. “But while it does, he’s obviously playing way above that label.”
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report takes a closer look at the challenging financial situation that the Warriors face this offseason and beyond.