Warriors placing enormous pressure on Green and Wiseman

With the trade deadline having been and passed and with no buyout candidates appealing as difference-makers, it appears the Golden State Warriors are set with their roster for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

The All-Star break came at the right time for Golden State, with the team looking tired and lethargic at times losing four of their last five games. Over this period, the Warriors’ lack of depth in the big man department has become glaringly apparent.

The Warriors, moving into the last part of the year, are putting pressure on Draymond Green and James Wiseman to solve their most glaring problem.

That’s not something new, it was always a question mark after Bob Myers and the front office built the roster ahead of the season. But those issues have largely been masked thanks to Green’s All-Star form prior to his injury and Kevon Looney’s unprecedented durability.

Green has now missed the last 20 games, while James Wiseman is nearing a return after an elongated recovery from his meniscus injury. The Warriors decided not to add another big man largely due to their confidence in the ability of both players to return and make an impact in their title aspirations.

That’s a lot of pressure to place on each player for different reasons. We know what Green can provide if fully healthy, with Warrior fans understandably excited to see him back and form the daunting championship trio of he, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson.

But for that optimistic outlook comes the realist/pessimistic one.

Any back/disc-related injury must undoubtedly procure some nerves among player, team and fans. The reasonable fear is that it becomes an issue requiring ongoing management, and that Green won’t necessarily return to pre All-Star break form for the remainder of the season.

The Wiseman conversation is a little more complicated, with the injury management partnering with an uncertain role to form an intriguing short term future. Putting so much faith in a 20-year-old is dangerous, let alone one who had so many interruptions over the past two years.

Of course, there’s the optimistic viewpoint.

That the 7-foot Wiseman provides the kind of offensive lob threat and interior size the Warriors simply don’t have outside of him. If he can find a positive, team-contributing role for 15-20 minutes a game, that’ll make a major difference to the Warriors’ chances.

Wiseman and Green’s return is the most important storyline of Golden State’s final 20 or so games.

Both, but especially Green, stand as the biggest factor in the fate of the Warriors season. If their defensive leader can’t return in All-Star form, it’s not excessive to suggest the Dubs can kiss their title chances goodbye.