Only a matter of time
After return from injury, Wiseman will still require a lot of training
In the era of instant gratification and superteams, the grind and process of progression often go undervalued and underrated.
Many NBA fans have forgotten what it looks like to watch a player develop and progress in his career. They often marvel at the destination instead of embracing the journey.
For the Warriors, the hope is that second-year center James Wiseman will eventually become the player they are hoping he’d be — turning the potential that made him the No. 2 overall pick into the reality of being a franchise pillar for the future.
But in order for that to happen, the Warriors must develop Wiseman in the present and that present is that he is coming off a meniscus tear that required surgery in April. He also lacks experience and practice reps as a result of that injury.
As Wiseman moves closer to a return — it won’t happen before the new year coach Steve Kerr told reporters Monday before the game against Orlando — here is what the Warriors (and Wiseman) should do to help his development.
KEEP IT SIMPLE >> Wiseman struggled mightily during his rookie season, more than the stats suggest — 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds in 21.4 minutes, 39 games, 27 starts. He was wildly inconsistent.
The Warriors threw him on the court despite his lack of experience (three college games and a 13-month layoff)because of his size and potential. The problem with that was the expectation that Wiseman would know how and when to screen and how to execute in the post split.
Wiseman, 20, thrived when his role was simplified. After he completes his assignment in Santa Cruz, the Warriors should play Wiseman with the second unit alongside Jordan Poole (after Klay Thompson returns) and let him get his reps.
In his minutes, Wiseman should operate in pick-and-roll situations with Poole, catch lobs around the rim and set simple screens. As time progresses, coach Steve Kerr and his staff can begin to gradually introduce different wrinkles and nuances in the offense. EMBRACE THE ROLE >> In pockets during last season, Wiseman had the tendency to operate along the perimeter. Granted, the NBA is a position-less league and it’s tempting to shoot threes and put the ball on the floor prolifically like some of the elite guards in the league. However, some self-awareness is needed in this case. Wiseman has the potential to be a perimeter threat, but that’s going to take time. When he has a mismatch — and he will have them as a 7-foot player — it’s best for him to exploit those and work from the inside out.
There’s nothing wrong with operating as a big and exploiting the advantage. The best example of that as it pertains to Wiseman is Deandre Ayton, the burgeoning 6-11 star for the Phoenix Suns. Like Wiseman, Ayton was a raw talent and very athletic. He had the ability to impact games, but he was often lost and was learning how to play at this level.
Now in his fourth NBA season, Ayton has developed as a force inside the paint defensively and an efficient scorer in the post who can set well-timed screens and catch lobs. This is what the Warriors need from Wiseman now and in the future. It’s great that the ability to shoot from the perimeter is there, but that’s not what’s required for Wiseman to help this team. UNDERSTANDING THE ASSIGNMENT >> It is expected that Wiseman will get reps in Santa Cruz. It is expected that he will have some great games. The thing is not just going to Santa Cruz and getting some run. What Wiseman should do in his Gleague time is to make it a point to comprehend what the G-league Warriors’ coaching staff shows and teaches him during the stint.
Poole benefited from this approach. Yes, he used the games in Santa Cruz to gain confidence. But what he took away from Santa Cruz is improved decisionmaking. It was the coaching staff that instilled in Poole the practice of .5 seconds or less. The principle is predicated on having a half-second to make a decision, either pass or shoot the ball instead of being indecisive.
Wiseman could pick up similar principles in practices there. He could learn how to effectively defend, to contest shots without fouling. He could also learn to set the kind of screens that the Warriors need. Making the Gleague assignment purposeful will benefit Wiseman in the long run in his development and impact with the Dubs.