Warriors plan to mold Wiseman to help
Will make his role simple, focusing on defense alongside Green, but he still has a lot to learn
With Klay Thompson expected to miss the season with a torn Achilles tendon, some wondered if the Golden State Warriors would rely on 19-year- old rookie center James Wiseman more than they probably should.
The short answer is: No. Wiseman, the 7-footer who the Warriors selected with the No. 2 pick in the draft, is certainly brimming with potential, but Golden State won’t hop-step his development in search of a quick fix.
Replacing Thompson in the starting lineup will be Kelly Oubre Jr., while free-agent additions Kent Bazemore and Brad Wanamaker will fill out minutes on the wing. They, along with Wiseman, will try to do what Thompson was supposed to do — help lift the Warriors back to the playoffs following a disappointing 15-50 season.
But Wiseman’s role as a rookie will be simple. Run the floor, rebound and defend the paint.
That last part may sound difficult, but it helps that Wiseman is so large. Assistant coach Jarron Collins, listed at 6-foot-11 during his playing days, admits his measure is “a little fudged.” Wiseman, though? “He’s definitely a legitimate 7-footer,” Collins told me.
After losing Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston in the 2019 offseason, the Warriors have addressed their need for size and athleticism by acquiring Andrew Wiggins, Wiseman and Oubre
within the last year. That group, plus Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, will anchor an aggressive defensive scheme that aims to create turnovers that lead to easy offense.
“We’re going to scramble, we’re going to fight, we’re going to compete,” Collins said.
Wiseman’s role in that defense, according to Collins, will be determined in training camp. During his short time at Memphis, Wiseman struggled to guard on the perimeter, recognize opponents’ basic pick-and-roll actions and, as a result, was often out of position and in foul trouble.
Having played just three collegiate games before leaving the program due to a dispute over his eligibility, Wiseman spent the better part of the last year training in Miami. In pickup games, he challenged himself to defend NBA guards John Wall and D’Angelo Russell.