It will be a while before the Golden State Warriors truly live down their decision to draft James Wiseman second overall in 2020, having proven a painful mistake that still haunts the franchise over half a decade on.
Whether coincidental or not, the Warriors haven't tried to develop another young, highly talented big man since Wiseman. That could change this offseason though with Spanish big man Aday Mara projected to go around where Golden State's lottery pick is expected to land.
Warriors could fix James Wiseman mistake with Aday Mara
Nothing will ever fully fix the Wiseman pick considering what the Warriors could have done with that selection, but finding another young, long-term starting big man could go along way to atoning for it.
Mara's stocks have only risen in recent months after the 7'3" center helped Michigan to the NCAA title, having finished the season averaging 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a massive 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 66.8% from the floor.
ESPN draft guru Jeremy Woo has Mara going 14th overall to the Charlotte Hornets in his latest mock draft ahead of the lottery, but hasn't ruled out the 21-year-old from going within the top 10.
"To realize his upside, maximizing his body and developing a reliable jump shot will be crucial -- but Mara is the most gifted center in the draft, both skill- and size-wise, with a chance to sneak into the top 10 depending on how the board falls," Woo wrote.
That puts Mara right around where the Warriors are projected to be picking at 11th overall, though they'll be hoping he's not actually an option because they got lucky and jumped into the top four at this Sunday's lottery.
Taking Mara could be an indication of what Golden State expect to happen with their current centers in free agency, with the futures of Kristaps Porzingis (unrestricted), Al Horford (player option) and Quinten Post (restricted) all up in the air entering the offseason.
Warriors haven't repeated James Wiseman ambition since
Wiseman was supposed to be the future of the Warriors, only now to be out of the league completely less than six years later. Golden State haven't repeated their efforts to develop a talented young big, at least not with a prospect that went in the first-round of the draft.
The Warriors did draft Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post with back-to-back picks in the 50's across the 2023 and 2024 drafts, yet both came to the franchise with extensive college experience and at 23 and 24-years-old respectively.
Drafting Mara would be a notable step taken since the failed Wiseman era, offering some hope of the Warriors filling a starting center role they've struggled to find a consistent solution to in recent years.
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