Could James Wiseman be a good fit for the Warriors?

With his athleticism and energy around the rim, James Wiseman could be a solid fit for the Warriors’ offense.

Because of their high-octane offense, the Golden State Warriors make even average big men look like they’re one of the most effective in the NBA.

The Warriors have done this for Marquese Chriss, and they did it for Willie Cauley-Stein before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. They’ve also helped Kevon Looney become a budding paint scorer. During the 2018-19 season, Looney shot 72.4% on shots 0-3 feet from the hoop, per Basketball Reference. 

And now, as they transition from their dominance of the last decade, the Warriors will potentially be looking for their next big man to mold.

The 2020 NBA draft is loaded with talented guards, but James Wiseman is one big who stands out because of his athleticism and quality interior play.

Wiseman is energetic around the basket, which gives him potential as a valuable lob threat and good rebounder.

He didn’t play much at Memphis because he was ruled ineligible in November. Wiseman was declared ineligible because Penny Hardaway gave $11,500 to Wiseman’s family for them to move from Nashville to Memphis in 2017, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Drew Shiller. 

He was reinstated and eligible to return to play in January, according to Kyle Boone of CBS. But he opted to forgo his eligibility and declared for the draft in December, per Dan Feldman of NBC Sports. 

Wiseman played three games in college, scoring 19.7 points per game, grabbing 10.7 rebounds a game and swatting 3.0 blocks a game.

On Tuesday, Draymond Green spoke on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby about how Wiseman could be a solid fit in the Warriors’ offense.

Wiseman is a top prospect, and if the Warriors pick in the top three, they’ll have a good chance to draft him. They have a 14.0% chance to land the No. 1 pick, according to Tankathon. 

“I’ve seen some clips of his workouts and highlights, and he looks to be pretty mobile, a pretty athletic guy,” Green said Tuesday, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Ali Thanawalla. “So with our speed and pace, the way we play, I think he would definitely be a great add if that’s case, but I don’t really know what pick we’re going to get or what pick he’s going to go. I’m a living testament to that. You never know how the draft is going to go and how the cards may fall.”

If anyone knows how well a player would fit on Golden State, it’s definitely Green. Green is arguably the smartest player on the roster, with his playmaking being an integral part of the offense.

Green is so skilled at seeing who’s open on back doors or on the weak side, and he would be a perfect player to pair with Wiseman.

With Wiseman being one of the top prospects, the Warriors have an opportunity to secure their future.

Right now, he doesn’t have much of a game outside of the lane. But with the Warriors already having stars in Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, they would simply need Wiseman to be himself: an athletic big who can sky for jams, rebound and defend the rim.

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