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Golden State Warriors: James Wiseman leaving Memphis isn’t a knock on his draft stock

By Nathan Beighle

PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 12: James Wiseman #32 of the Memphis Tigers waits on the court during a timeout during the second half of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Moda Center on November 12, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. Oregon won the game 82-74. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 12: James Wiseman #32 of the Memphis Tigers waits on the court during a timeout during the second half of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Moda Center on November 12, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. Oregon won the game 82-74. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors are going to have a top-five pick in the NBA Draft, and James Wiseman could easily be at the top of their big board.

There’s no denying that the Golden State Warriors season hasn’t gone as planned. They’ve struggled to gain any traction and are one of just a handful of teams that haven’t notched double-digit wins.

They currently have the worst record in the NBA and will be a contending for the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. They’re lucky they protected the first-round pick that was given to Brooklyn this offseason or they wouldn’t have this to look forward to.

That said, the Warriors have two basic needs yet could also draft just the best player available. The Warriors don’t need a guard so that basically limits LaMelo Ball and Cole Anthony from their board. After those two, James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards would be the two top picks.

One of those two is a dominant 7-footer.

Wiseman, the Memphis center, just left the university. He is signing an agent and planning to work towards the 2020 NBA Draft. That’s a huge development for the Golden State Warriors, a potential destination for Wiseman.

Before sitting out at Memphis due to being ineligible, Wiseman played in three games. In those games, he averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. While it’s a small sample size, Wiseman has been amazing.

Wiseman having to deal with the NCAA and therefore leaving the college to pursue his dream as an NBA player shouldn’t hurt how the Warriors view his draft stock. That shouldn’t be a hit on Wiseman but more one on the NBA as a whole.

The Warriors need a big man. It’s their weakest link at the moment as they have All-Star players at three of the five positions, and James Wiseman could be a generational talent down low. His size and skill both pose attributes that Golden State shouldn’t pass up on.

Next. Top 25 Golden State Warriors in franchise history. dark

The Warriors could use a Wiseman-like player, and his recent news shouldn’t hurt his reputation.

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