Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman. Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

What Golden State should do with James Wiseman

By Ethan Scott | Last updated 1/30/23

C.J. Holmes of the San Francisco Chronicle believes the Warriors (25-24) don't plan to jettison James Wiseman, despite a rough start to his career.

"I don't think they're ready to give up on the James Wiseman experiment," Holmes said.

The second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has only played in 58 games but is already receiving comparisons to Greg Oden, the infamous NBA bust.

In 19 games this season, the seven-footer averages 6.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and is shooting 60% from the field. All those numbers are down from his rookie season, when he played only 39 games before suffering a significant knee injury that sidelined him for the remainder of that season and the next.

Not only are Wiseman's stats down from his rookie season. His minutes are significantly down, too.

As a rookie, he averaged 21.4 minutes compared to 12.7 this season. This is odd for a young player, as teams usually increase the number of minutes as a player develops.

To develop, though, Wiseman needs minutes against NBA competition. A 21-year-old sitting on the end of the bench does nothing for this year's Warriors -- especially if he could be flipped for another piece.

Last week, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr had this to say on 95.7 The Game, a Bay Area sports station:

.@DamonBruce asked Steve Kerr if the Warriors owe it to James Wiseman to either start playing him or trade him

Full response ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/4eUyMwvXBb
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) January 27, 2023

"One of the things I tell James from time to time is that I feel bad for him because of the circumstances," Kerr added. "He's had a tough go with the injuries, the injuries definitely set him back. But the bottom line is he's a really talented young guy playing on a veteran team."

In a blowout loss to Brooklyn in late December, Wiseman looked like the player the Warriors thought he was when they drafted him. He dropped 30 points, shooting 12 for 14 from the field and sinking his only three-point attempt.

A week later, he suffered an ankle injury, sidelining him for a month. He hasn't played since.

Golden State has a decision to make. If it won't play a talented, young player, trade him. Acquire a player who can make a difference and increase the team's chance of winning back-to-back titles.

Bottom line: It's time to see if Wiseman has game.

More must-reads: