Warriors’ James Wiseman could make season debut as early as Sunday
It’s been a long time coming, but James Wiseman’s return may be near.
For the Golden State Warriors, they should have enough time to integrate him into the rotation and ensure he can fit in well with the current roster prior to the postseason commencing. That’s the biggest concern for both Wiseman and the Dubs as his return nears.
The Golden State Warriors have been waiting all season long for second-year center James Wiseman to return. The wait may soon be over.
Wiseman has missed the entire season to this point and really will only get a month to acclimate himself to the NBA’s level and show that he’s been able to build off last season. The former No. 2 overall pick will give the Warriors a different look on both ends of the court.
He will be the team’s biggest player, a legit 7-foot big. With Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green the starting frontcourt trio, the Warriors are typically undersized against teams like Phoenix and Utah.
Nearing a return from a torn meniscus and then other issues that delayed his season debut, Wiseman could be in action as soon as Sunday, although that seems somewhat unlikely.
James Wiseman remains out tonight. He will practice with the Warriors the next few days. They don’t play again until Sunday. That is the earliest (and likeliest) date of his NBA return. https://t.co/1jFDkaqaB2
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 16, 2022
What level Wiseman can get to will be interesting. He’s the Warriors’ lengthiest player, so he’ll be able to potentially help protect the rim and also serve as an alley-oop threat off the pick and roll for Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole.
But, there are still question marks that were not answered during his rookie season.
The biggest question that must be answered is if he can serve as a competent rim protector without fouling. Wiseman averaged 3.1 fouls per game last season and 5.2 fouls per 36 minutes. That was a common issue during his rookie season.
He also shot just 52% from the field despite around 80% of his attempts coming within three feet of the rim. Those are two of the notable aspects of Wiseman’s return that fans should be keeping an eye.
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With Wiseman reportedly having bulked up this offseason, hopefully, he can quickly answer both questions with resounding improvements.