Golden State changing pace on Wiseman
Steve Kerr is one of the most accomplished coaches in modern NBA history, but he is also a relative newcomer to the profession.
His three NBA titles, 201516 NBA Coach of the Year award and two All-Star Game coaching appearances with the Warriors make it easy for people to forget that he hadn’t coached at any level before he inherited a loaded roster seven years ago. Kerr understands that he still has much to learn, which is why he has no qualms admitting that he mishandled center James Wiseman’s rookie development.
After starting Wiseman at center at the beginning of the season, Kerr moved him to the bench in late January, only to insert him back into the first unit in early March. An everevolving role made it tough for Wiseman to find a rhythm. That’s why Kerr now is making a point to delineate his expectations for Wiseman, who has yet to be fully cleared for practice six months into his rehab from right knee surgery.
The Warriors will do what they didn’t do last season: bring one of the franchise’s most important young players along slowly. Instead of burdening Wiseman with major NBA playing time and seeing how he handles a read-andreact system, Kerr plans to let Wiseman finish his rehab in the G League before eventually bringing him off Golden State’s bench.
No timetable has been set for Wiseman’s return to the NBA lineup, but the training staff will be careful not to rush him. This is someone whose growth is paramount to the franchise’s long-term outlook.
When the Warriors opted in April for Wiseman to undergo a complete repair to the torn meniscus in his right knee, they knew he was facing a six- to nine-month recovery. Little more than a halfyear later, Wiseman is ramping up his individual workouts, with a plan for him to be reevaluated Nov. 1.
Practices are spent going over such basics as proper low-post positioning and helpside defense with new playerdevelopment coach Dejan Milojevic, whose resume includes working with a young Nikola Jokic in Serbia. Once Wiseman is cleared for team workouts, he likely will need four to six weeks to improve his conditioning, during which time he could report to Golden State’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
It remains unclear whether Wiseman would play games with Santa Cruz or merely participate in closed-door scrimmages. What is certain is that, whenever Wiseman makes his season debut with the big club, he will be there to stay. And odds are that he’ll be averaging far less than the 21.4 minutes he averaged as a rookie.
Though Wiseman’s specific role will remain fluid, he is expected to focus on running the floor, catching lobs, executing pick-and-rolls and playing positional defense. This simplified assignment helped him thrive toward the end of his injury-shortened rookie season. Wiseman looked self-assured as he scored a combined 31 points on 15-for-24 shooting (62.5%) in early April games against Milwaukee and Washington.
“When James is back, he’s going to be in that position in the middle of the floor, setting screens and diving,” Kerr said of Wiseman, who has added at least 5 pounds of muscle since he last played. “With all of the shooting we have, that’ll be a really good spot for him and his teammates. He’s already working hard on that stuff.”
As Kerr watched center Deandre Ayton emerge as a driving force behind Phoenix’s Finals run last season, he thought often about Wiseman.
Two years earlier, Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, looked overwhelmed at times as he tried to master the nuances of the Suns’ system. But when Monty Williams became head coach in 2019, he scaled back Ayton’s responsibilities and let him focus on what he does best: patrol the paint, block shots and throw down dunks.
Ayton’s development now serves as a sort of blueprint for Wiseman. The big difference will be that, though Ayton has been a mainstay in Phoenix’s starting lineup, Wiseman should have the luxury of learning from the bench.
Kevon Looney showed last season that he still can handle a significant workload. Wiseman is expected to back up Looney, likely joining the second unit while Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sit to start the second and fourth quarters.
Wiseman and Jordan Poole could form a potent pick-androll tandem. Andre Iguodala also figures to get plenty of time alongside Wiseman, who could benefit from the 2015 Finals MVP’s passing, temposetting and on-court mentorship.
Even though Wiseman was limited throughout training camp, Iguodala empowered the young big man whenever he could. Many of Iguodala’s preseason news conferences were spent praising Wiseman’s work ethic and ability. When they share a court together, Iguodala should help Wiseman understand how to play within himself and find his shots.
“A lot of things are new to him,” Iguodala said of the second-year center. (Wiseman hasn’t spoken to reporters since media day.) “There are so many different voices and opinions that get thrown in his universe, and I’m sure he hears a lot of the noise. Just trying to quiet all that, but at the same time, help him grow at the right pace, his speed.”
The Warriors aren’t asking Wiseman to become an AllStar-caliber center this season, but they want him well-positioned for a significant leap in 2022-23. This team needs Wiseman anchoring the low post and providing consistent offensive production to remain nationally relevant as Curry (age 33), Green (31) and Klay Thompson (31) exit their prime.
For that to happen, Wiseman must ensure that this isn’t a lost season. Kerr will measure Wiseman’s success in metrics less quantifiable than points or rebounds. If the Warriors’ coaches see Wiseman playing with purpose and looking like he belongs, they’ll know their prized pupil is on the right track.
“He has all the tools to be truly special,” Milojevic said. “It’ll be fun to see what happens.”