Stephen Curry had some words of encouragement for James Wiseman.
The Warriors lost to the Cavaliers tonight but have to prepare for their back-to-back matchup against the Detroit Pistons. The Warriors traded 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman to the Pistons in the winter of 2022, and Stephen Curry is excited to catch up with his former teammate. Curry also believes Wiseman will figure out a role in the NBA soon.
“I haven’t talked to him so I don’t know where his head is at. He’s a great dude and was a great teammate when he was with us… I know he’s not playing much but it’s a challenge he’s facing in understanding how he can continue to get better and force them to play him. Knowing him, I have extreme confidence in him to figure it out… His story is still developing, nobody is putting a pin in that. He’s a young dude, super talented, and works hard. I’m confident he’ll be able to figure it out, just a matter of when.”
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Wiseman has fallen out of the Pistons rotation, with new head coach Monty Williams playing Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley ahead of Wiseman. In tonight’s loss against the Suns, Wiseman was the only player to be left on the bench as a DNP Coaches Decision, which shows Monty may not be a fan of what Wiseman brings to the table.
He averaged 12.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 24 games with the Pistons last season. While many expected Wiseman to get an opportunity to lock up the starting center spot, it seems Jalen Duren’s early-season form has ended that dream for Wiseman.
Why Did James Wiseman Not Work Out On The Warriors?
Wiseman had a tough tenure with the Warriors, dealing with injuries and never getting a chance to develop much chemistry with the team. Coach Steve Kerr candidly explained why Wiseman didn’t end up working out for Golden State despite his immense pre-draft hype in 2020.
“I think between the injuries and the inexperience coming into a team like ours that is fighting for championships. Playing with a group that has been together for a long time, it was just difficult for me to give James the runway that he needed. He was great every single day, came to work with a great attitude, a positive spirit. He’s everything you look for in a young player in terms of his approach and his talent. But, the timing was difficult just given what he needed and where we are as a franchise.”
Wiseman spent the 2021-22 season out with injury and didn’t play a game, but does have a championship ring from that season because of his position on the roster.
His total averages on Golden State are 9.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 60 games over three seasons, constantly battling injuries and Kerr’s rotational plans to find minutes.
Could The Warriors End Up Regretting This Trade?
Even with Wiseman not playing in Detroit right now, he’s still just a 21-year-old with a lot of room to grow. Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob himself said that Golden State may end up regretting the trade.
“Very hard. Very hard. You know, we might very well regret that one, longer-term or even intermediate-term. But as much as I love the guy, I can’t overrule what our basketball ops, our coaches, and our players felt was the right thing to do.
Wiseman has barely played organized basketball in his life. He was injured in high school, had his eligibility revoked in college, and only played 60 games for Golden State over three seasons. He hasn’t even gotten 100 NBA appearances yet, so there is long-term potential to be found. Unfortunately, it looks like the Pistons may not be the franchise where he does that.
