Expectations were high when the Golden State Warriors passed on LaMelo Ball in last year’s draft in favor of James Wiseman.
In retrospect, the decision doesn’t appear to have been a great one.
Wiseman averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 39 games before a torn meniscus cut his rookie campaign short.
Given that the Warriors are very much in win-now mode with Stephen Curry, speculation began to bubble regarding the organization possibly moving their young center in the offseason.
This week, Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers addressed the rumors head on.
“We don’t want to trade James Wiseman. I think he’s a tremendous talent,” Myers said, per Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle.
“I think he can be very helpful for us in the future and in the present. We plan on him being on the team.”
The hope is that Wiseman will be healed up in time for next season and embark on a run that justifies the high pick Golden State spent on him.
“[Training camp’s] important…We really hope and think that he’ll be available for that,” Myers said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
That’s one way to get over a loss. https://t.co/17jpFpu2Ej
— Game 7 (@game7__) May 23, 2021
This is going to be a big summer for Golden State. Talk is heating up regarding a possible Draymond Green trade that could drastically change the composition of the roster. And then of course there’s still Curry’s lingering contract status.
One way or another, what happens over the next few months will determine how viable of a contender the Warriors will be in 2021-22. And because of that, although Myers is saying all right things about Wiseman now, it also wouldn’t be all that shocking if he ultimately changed his mind at some point in the foreseeable future.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
