Why the Dubs gave up on former No. 2 pick Wiseman
It was fair to wonder why the Warriors' former No. 2 overall pick was riding the bench in recent weeks.
James Wiseman was healthy. The Warriors desperately needed more size to lighten the load on Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. It's not a good sign if a top lottery pick, once thought to be a future franchise cornerstone, is racking up DNPs.
Publicly, the Warriors weren't interested in giving straight answers for why Wiseman wasn't getting playing time. Privately, they were defensive of him. Ultimately, their decision to trade him to the Detroit Pistons in a deal that eventually brought them Gary Payton II before Thursday's deadline told us what they really thought of him.
Wiseman was never a good fit for this Warriors team.
That's because Wiseman is an offensive-minded player on a team that does not look for offense from the center position, those within the team say. And once it became apparent Wiseman couldn't play to the defensive standard this team needs — the Warriors even recruited big man whisperer Dejan Milojević to help out — he was unplayable.
Center Andrew Bogut was a seamless fit within the Warriors' system as a strong screener, great passer and defender. He saw how Wiseman's game didn't match what Golden State needs. Wiseman did not show an ability to do those things bigs like Bogut excelled at.
“I've said from the start I don't think Wiseman was a great fit,” Bogut said Thursday on 95.7 The Game. “I wouldn't say he's a bust... His skill set wasn't suited towards (Golden State). (The trade) was the right move for Wiseman's career.”
Wiseman is reportedly set to start for the rebuilding Pistons after playing in 21 games total this season and, because of injuries and uneven play, just 60 games as a Warrior over three years.
He was collecting dust on the bench, even telling this news organization in the days before the trade that he would rather have played with the G League team in Santa Cruz to get much-needed reps than sit on the sideline.
“That stuff is hard sometimes, really every night,” Wiseman said last week. “It's hard to miss every night and be positive.”
The financial impact of Wiseman's payroll hit and the associated luxury tax was an added incentive for the trade. Wiseman makes $9.6 million this season and $12.1 million next season, and Payton signed a three-year, $26.1 million contract with the Blazers last summer.
By removing Wiseman and adding Payton, the Warriors get a player who's more likely to see playing time and saves $37 million in luxury tax and payroll over the next two seasons.
Not to mention, Payton is a perfect system fit as an elite defender who can cut to the basket and shoot the occasional 3-pointer. General manager Bob Myers' tricky trade wasn't the kind of blockbuster that the Warriors' competitors swung, but signaled that Golden State is going all-in, winnow with this Steph Curry/Draymond Green/Klay Thompson core.
Even sitting at 28-27, entering Thursday night as the ninth seed in the Western Conference, the Warriors have to think now that they can beat any of their challengers and return to the NBA Finals.