With the second pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors selected Memphis center James Wiseman. With Anthony Edwards having been taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the top overall pick, it came down to Wiseman or now Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball.
Wiseman was always an interesting selection as the Warriors need to win now versus plan to the long-term future came to a crossroads. They opted to take a player that would do the best of both, or so they thought.
The Golden State Warriors do not want to trade James Wiseman, but after what we saw prior to the 2020 trade deadline, can that actually be trusted?
While Wiseman did have a solid rookie season, he certainly didn’t show enough to guarantee a superstar future. He had trouble with his efficiency, foul trouble and positioning. Acclimating to the team in a win-now environment is not easy for a rookie big man.
While he could’ve shown more, Wiseman did average double figures and shot over 50 percent from the field. Both of those should solidify his future in the Bay Area. Given Wiseman’s contract as the No. 2 overall pick, he’ll be owed over $9 million next season.
With the Warriors hopeful to get Klay Thompson back next season, having all cap space moved to players capable of winning now could be paramount. Bob Myers assured the media that they have no intentions of trading Wiseman.
Bob Myers: "We don't want to trade James Wiseman. I think he's a tremendous talent. ... I think he can be very helpful for us in the future and in the present. We plan on him being on the team."
— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) May 24, 2021
Can that be trusted though? Here what he said about star point guard D’Angelo Russell.
"“We didn’t sign him with the intention of just trading him. We didn’t even see him play in our uniform yet. Yet a lot of people already have us trading him. That’s not how we’re viewing it,” Myers said back in the summer of 2019, per NBC Sports."
The Warriors traded Russell to the Timberwolves. They, in turn, acquired the Wolves’ top-three protected pick in this coming draft and also Andrew Wiggins. It was a trade most fans think the Dubs won.
That isn’t the point though. The point is that the Warriors can’t be trusted with their notion that Wiseman’s position is safe. There are only a few players on the Warriors that are truly safe from being dealt, and Wiseman certainly isn’t one of them.
Generally speaking, snagging a top-two pick from the prior year’s draft would take a massive load, so it is unlikely that Wiseman is dealt. But, if it means potentially signing Kawhi Leonard or not, Wiseman might as well pack his bags.
That said, personally speaking, I would like to see Wiseman back. I think his use and his high ceiling are worth building around, especially considering by the end of next season he should be capable of being a quality rim protector and capable fourth scoring option.
I would like to think his spot is safe, and while the situations between Wiseman and Russell are different, there’s no denying that Myers didn’t stay true to his original word despite the team not quite seeing what Russell, Curry, and Thompson could do on the court together.