Warriors’ James Wiseman may be best used on the second unit
The Golden State Warriors will be returning second-year center James Wiseman within the next few weeks, and working him into the rotation will be no easy task for head coach Steve Kerr. Wiseman was out with a torn meniscus.
While he’s certainly more gifted offensively than current starting center Kevon Looney, there’s no denying his fit could initially be better off the bench.
Within the coming weeks, star center James Wiseman will return to the lineup, but in what capacity the Warriors use him is still up in the air.
Wiseman started much of his rookie season as it felt like the team was forcing minutes onto him. After taking him above the likes of star guard LaMelo Ball, it seemed like Golden State needed to justify the pick. Wiseman ended up starting 27 of 39 games.
Wiseman played well, and he clearly has a few things still to learn, one of them is playing without fouling. His reported weight gain is good to hear as he’ll have a better chance to hang with bigger centers.
When James Wiseman is ready to play again, how Kerr opts to utilize him could have a great impact on how this second season goes for him. With that in mind, coming off the bench feels like the best option for the 20-year-old.
Despite struggling heavily at times, the Warriors starting lineup has a 4.3 net rating. They’ve consistently gotten the job done, and Looney’s fit, with his rebounding on the offensive side and limited need for the ball, has been perfect.
As for Wiseman, if he was a starter, the main thing he would bring over Looney is a great rim-rolling threat. He’s more skilled offensively, but that skill could be more useful on the second unit. Think about a team bringing Jordan Poole and James Wiseman off the bench.
Having the two learn how to play together could pay long-term dividends. Wiseman averaged 11.5 points per game last season. 83% of his two-point field were assisted on. He needs to develop his own offensive game and learn to be the distributor.
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There’s no negative of Wiseman starting the game on the bench, especially if he can still get at least two quarters per game.