Analyzing the return of James Wiseman to the Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have concluded their Summer League campaign, falling to the Washington Wizards 87-77 on Sunday.

While prized lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody were rested from the encounter, we did get one final look at Golden State’s other big name – former number two overall pick James Wiseman.

There were plenty of positives for James Wiseman and the Golden State Warriors, with the 7-footer playing 4 straight games at NBA Summer League.

The biggest positive was Wiseman’s ability to back up for four straight games, a clear indication that his knee responded well to his return to game action. Granted, it’s only four games, but this bodes well ahead of what can often be a grueling regular season.

Now, let’s get into the basketball aspect. While it’s exciting to see him out on the floor, the reality is that with only he and Kevon Looney currently on the roster as recognized centers, Wiseman will be expected to play meaningful minutes next season.

Wiseman looked much like the player we saw in his rookie season – a raw prospect that shows flashes of enormous two-way potential.

His screen setting looked like an improved aspect during Summer League.

Being able to physically impact a defender successfully is invaluable in a team that possesses so many perimeter threats. This is an incredibly underrated component of Kevon Looney and why he works so well in the Warriors system.

Wiseman can often have poorly-timed moments on defense, regularly leading to foul calls. When he gets it right though, his physical attributes (size, wingspan, athleticism) make him an incredibly imposing rim protector.

Wiseman averaged two blocks, the only player in the tournament to do so while averaging less than 20 minutes in four or more games.

The screen setting and interior defense is still a work in progress, but the below clip shows what he’s capable of. On offense, his pick frees up Mac McClung who draws the opposing center enough before finding a rolling Wiseman for the dunk.

Defensively, he reads the attacker’s spin move, then times his jump perfectly to swat it away.

https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1548829009336737792

It was often difficult for him to impose himself offensively in a meaningful way. Too many times he went multiple possessions in a row without even touching the ball. This frequently led to frustration from Wiseman who would subsequently force a bad shot on an ensuing possession.

Most of these ‘forced’ shots were rushed jumpers. While he’s a capable outside shooter, it’s still a work in progress and thus should be an occasional aspect of his game, not one he relies on.

The 21-year-old averaged 10.5 points in 19.9 minutes per game, taking 1.5 three-points attempts and shooting 48.6% from the floor overall.

The other key aspect is his rebounding, a component that should be a strength given his athletic capabilities. He averaged 5.5 boards per game, which, while not bad, certainly presents as an obvious area for improvement.

Wiseman will ideally improve alongside better players. Playing next to Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole should provide him with much easier opportunities than what he saw in Summer League.

Ultimately, Wiseman’s offseason should focus on the fundamentals of being a physically imposing big man – rolling and finishing strongly at the rim, snatching rebounds consistently and being an intelligent defensive presence.