Wiseman, Green makes goal of building a top defense tougher
As the Warriors aim to construct one of the NBA’s best defenses in this week’s training camp, they could be doing so without two players who figure to be central to that goal in forward Draymond Green and center James Wiseman, both of whom missed the first day of practice after testing positive for the coronavirus, a league source confirmed with the Bay Area News Group.
“It’s not ideal, but nothing is ideal in 2020,” said head coach Steve Kerr. This is especially true for Wiseman, the second- overall pick in October’s draft who could use as much practice time as possible in order to be a difference- maker for the Warriors this season. Wiseman, 19, has not played in an official basketball game since November of last year, and though he offers spectacular upside, he’s a raw athlete facing a steep learning curve.
Under the NBA’s rules, Wiseman and Green must self- quarantine for 10 to 12 days after the initial positive test, register two negative tests and be cleared by both a team- and league- designated physician to return. It’s unclear if they will participate in this week’s training camp or play in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center. An extended absence would hurt Golden State’s ability to put together a playoff- caliber defense.
“It’s unfortunate, but it’s just the way it goes,” Kerr said of Wiseman missing training camp. “Our coaching staff has been showing him tape the last few days. He’s still getting some homework in.”
At 7- foot- 1 with a 7- foot- 6 wingspan, Wiseman provides rim- protection with his presence alone. But playing a part in a top- 10 defense — as is the Warriors’ stated goal — takes more than size and athleticism. In the three college games he played at Memphis before leaving the program due to concerns about his eligibility, Wiseman struggled to recognize opponents’ basic pick- androll actions and guard on the perimeter, and often picked up fouls while chasing blocks. Training camp offered a chance for him to work with coaches to clean these things up. Now, he may not get that opportunity before the games begin.
Unlike with the defenses of the dynasty that featured elite one- on- one defenders Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, the Warriors this season will rely on a mix of concepts and game plans — things that can be tough for a young player to learn quickly.
According to Kerr, the “vast majority” of Monday’s practice was focused on implementing new defensive schemes and teaching players defensive techniques.
“We worked on help defense a lot, individual defense and little scheme things that we’re adding this year to keep offenses on their toes,” said guard Mychal Mulder. “So it was great to have a group and really go 5 on 5 and get to work on defensive schemes. I think that was really helpful.”
Even though the Warriors have high hopes for Wiseman, they are preaching patience early on. The truth is, Wiseman has time. Meanwhile, Green is experienced enough to easily pick up these new concepts, but because he hasn’t played in nine months needs training camp to shake off the rust.
“Draymond might be able to plug in extremely quickly in terms of the mental and understanding what we do and how we do it,” said guard Stephen Curry. “Hopefully he can catch up physically.”
Green’s absence is also likely felt by Golden
State’s new- look supporting cast. While assistant coaches Jarron Collins and Ron Adams create and teach the schemes, the former defensive player of the year is a valuable resource for some of the Warriors’ younger players.
This is a setback for
a team that already lost Thompson for the season to an Achilles tear. After posting a league- worst 15- 50 record last season, the Warriors had hoped to return to title contention. However, doing so during the pandemic could prove difficult.
Thompson’s injury occurred while he was working out in Southern California after the league announced the plan to sprint to a Dec. 22 start. These
positive tests happened after players returned to the Bay Area to begin training camp mere days after the draft and free agency. It’s not unreasonable to wonder if rushing to start the season led to injuries for players who needed to ramp up their conditioning and to positive tests for players who spent the last few months out of their team’s market.
The Warriors are not alone. Before opening night,
the impact of the pandemic is being felt across the league with 48 registered positive tests. But the Warriors also have high hopes for this season and a lot of work to be done — going from one of the league’s worst defenses to one of the best is a tall task. Now after nine months away, suddenly time is in short supply, and they are losing valuable days before the season begins.