The Golden State Warriors won their fourth NBA championship in eight years this past June, defeating the Boston Celtics in six games in the NBA Finals. While they did suffer some losses this offseason in free agency, as Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II departed, they have the pieces in place to replace them.
Donte DiVincenzo was signed in free agency to help bolster the wing rotation, while JaMychal Green will help the frontcourt. Golden State is also hoping to see improvements from their young players in expanded roles. One of the players they are most excited about seeing back on the court is James Wiseman.
Wiseman was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Memphis. He has not played much basketball in the last few years as he appeared in only three games collegiately. His rookie season was also cut short by a meniscus injury, which caused him to miss the entire 2021-22 campaign.
Despite that, there is optimism about the impact that he can have on the team this season. Despite Kevon Looney’s re-signing, Wiseman has a chance to earn a significant role in the rotation for the upcoming season as he is oozing with potential.
LATEST NBA NEWS: James Wiseman & Golden State Warriors Updates
Head coach Steve Kerr spoke about Wiseman recently. Getting over the mental hurdle of being injured seems to have been accomplished, as Wiseman will now be looking to earn a spot in the rotation.
“He’s healthy. He’s played in a ton of pickup games in our building (the last month)…I think he’s got a lot of confidence in that knee now. That’s the first step. The next step is finding his role within this team.”
The Warriors will likely bring Wiseman along slowly as he has not played in an NBA game since April 10th, 2021. That is when he suffered his meniscus tear that he has been working his way back from ever since.
LATEST NBA NEWS: James Wiseman & Golden State Warriors Updates
While the Warriors will be relying on some younger players who have yet to have a chance to prove themselves, there is a chance this year’s roster is actually stronger than last season’s. They found capable veterans to replace the ones that they lost and the ceiling is certainly higher with the younger players such as Wiseman in the mix.
If Wiseman can get back on track and start to realize the potential that made him the No. 2 overall pick just two years ago, Golden State’s dynasty window will be propped open for years to come.
