The Warriors surely didn’t plan on dealing James Wiseman two and a half years after they chose him second overall in the 2020 NBA draft. Wiseman was traded to the Pistons as part of a three-team transaction last month because the Warriors were unable to mold him into a reliable player.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob finally addressed the Wiseman trade, saying that he may come to regret dealing the rookie center.
Long-term or even intermediate-term, “we may very well regret that one,” Lacob told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.
Wiseman missed the most of the 2021-22 season due to a meniscus injury he sustained the year before, following a disappointing debut year in which he averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in 39 appearances. That season, he saw action in zero NBA games and two G League contests at most.
Wiseman averaged 12.5 minutes and 6.9 points in 21 games for Golden State this season after returning from injury.
Though Lacob seemed to favor keeping James Wiseman, the rest of the coaching staff and front office were eager to make a change.
I can’t go against the wishes of our basketball operations staff, coaching staff, and players, he explained.
James Wiseman was a highly touted high school talent out of Memphis
Frequently placed in the top two of recruiting rankings before to enrolling at the University of Tennessee. He only got to play in three games for his collegiate team before declaring for the NBA draft due to an NCAA investigation.
Yet, despite missing Wiseman, Golden State won the NBA Finals last season and is in excellent position to do it again this year. Because to injuries to key players throughout the 2019-20 season, they were in a position to draft Wiseman.
Lacob is aware of this, and he also thinks the team should have given Wiseman more chances.
It’s unlikely that we’ll get another chance to choose a promising young talent like James, he reasoned. To a certain extent, it was his fault, some of it was terrible luck, and some of it was our fault for not playing him often enough, but ultimately, he didn’t stand a chance.
Over five games since joining Detroit, Wiseman has averaged 11.8 points, 8.2 boards, and 24.6 minutes per game. Explore here at toponlinesportsbetting.ph to learn the latest NBA news and updates for your favorite teams and players.
