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James Wiseman may also bring short-term struggles for Warriors

By Nathan Beighle

PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 03: James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on March 03, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 03: James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on March 03, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors, prior to their game against the Timberwolves on Sunday night in which both three-time All-Star Draymond Green and two-time MVP Stephen Curry were sidelined,  were 1-2 in games they’ve had five-time All-Star guard Klay Thompson for.

Thompson is going to quickly become a productive player for the Warriors, and players like starting small forward Andrew Wiggins and rising star Jordan Poole will learn to thrive alongside one of the best shooters to ever play the game.

Having some near-term struggles following Klay Thompson’s return, I expect James Wiseman to have an even great impact upon returning to the court.

The transition with Thompson taking the court may actually be easier than that of second-year center James Wiseman. Wiseman needed arthroscopic surgery in December which lengthened his absence from an initial meniscus tear.

Wiseman has reportedly bulked up this offseason which should be a huge plus for his ability to maintain his ground in the paint. Likely to be the starting center upon his return, Wiseman will be more of an offensive threat than Kevon Looney.

That’s where things could get interesting for the Warriors.

As of now, Looney has had some terrific games, but he’s far from a premier scoring option for this team. He mainly gets his points from rolls to the rim or offensive boards. Wiseman should be an entirely different type of big man.

He’s supposed to be the future of the Warriors frontcourt, and he should be far more involved in the offense. What that looks like for Golden State isn’t quite known, especially as Wiseman has yet to take the court with Thompson nor has he played for a team with title potential like this one.

However, as we’ve seen with Thompson, it’ll take adjusting to, so fans should be prepared for short-term struggles upon his return.

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The Warriors ceiling, with Wiseman, Thompson, Curry, Green, Poole, and Wiggins is far higher than it was even earlier this season, when they had the best record in the NBA. Overall, they’ll be just fine, but when he returns in the near future, it may not be the easiest implementation.

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