The Golden State Warriors are once again looking like contenders for the NBA Championship. After missing the playoffs for two straight years, which followed five straight NBA Finals appearances, Golden State reloaded and is one of the favorites to take home the title at the conclusion of this season.
One of the x-factors in that championship run will be the play of James Wiseman. Wiseman was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and has immense potential, but is a raw prospect. He doesn’t have much game experience under his belt as he played only three games collegiately with Memphis.
Wiseman is working his way back from knee surgery that he underwent last year and is expected to make his return to the court soon. He will have about 20 games to ramp things up to end the regular season before the playoffs get underway.
This next stretch of games will essentially be an audition for Wiseman. If he can hold his own and show that he is ready to contribute to a team in win-now mode, the Warriors will likely ride things out with this current core.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Wiseman’s Long-Awaited Return Nearing For Warriors?
However, if he comes up short and it is still evident that he needs more development and cannot be relied upon to produce, they will have to seriously consider making a move. The title window for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green isn’t going to stay open forever. If Wiseman isn’t ready to help them on that quest, they will have to consider making a move for someone that is.
Who could the team target? Given his pedigree, they should aim pretty high. Here are three offseason trade targets for the Golden State Warriors involving James Wiseman.
