With the NBA restart only days away from returning to action in the Orlando Bubble, the Bay Area has already set their sights on the NBA Draft.
The Golden State Warriors league-worst 15-50 record ended their chances of an invite to Disney World. However, the Warriors will have the opportunity to make a selection in the top five of the NBA Draft for the first time since 2002.
In the months leading up to October’s Draft, mock drafts will take shots at predicting what the Warriors will do when Steve Kerr and Bob Myers are on the clock. Prospects like Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Deni Avdija and Florida State’s Devin Vassell have been listed alongside the Warriors in recent mocks.
In the latest mock draft from CBS Sports, Kyle Boone gave the Warriors help in the frontcourt. With the first overall selection in the CBS Sports Mock Draft, Golden State landed Memphis big man James Wiseman. According to Boone, Wiseman could fill the Warriors’ need for a reliable center.
Via CBS Sports:
They need a reliable center who can finish lobs and wreak havoc around the rim, and Wiseman, with his 7-6 wingspan and shot-blocking savvy, would be a perfect remedy.
In three games for the Memphis Tigers, the 19-year-old averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per contest. Wiseman scored in double-figures in every game, earning a double-double performance in two games.
Wiseman ranked fourth on the Warriors Wire 2020 NBA Draft Big Board.
Warriors Wire Big Board: A look at the 2020 NBA Draft prospectshttps://t.co/BCvhNNllvB
— Warriors Wire (@TheWarriorsWire) July 4, 2020
Wiseman’s time with the Tigers was cut short after the NCAA ruled the former consensus five-star recruit ineligible due to a moving expense with Memphis coach Penny Hardaway. In December, Wiseman withdrew from Memphis to prepare for the 2020 draft.
Since the arrival of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the Golden State Warriors have shuffled through a bevy of veteran centers. Andrew Bogut and Zaza Pachulia proved serviceable during their time in the Bay Area. Yet, neither had the upside of Wiseman.
Adding Wiseman next to Marquese Chriss would give the Warriors a young pair of athletic and energetic bigs on the inside. Wiseman can run the floor and finish lobs from anywhere around the rim with his 7-foot-4 wingspan. At only 19-years-old, Wiseman has shown off a smooth shooting stroke that can continue to develop while Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins carry a bulk of Golden State’s responsibilities in 2020-21.
If the Warriors decide to opt for a different frontcourt prospect, USC’s Onyeka Okongwu, Maryland’s Jalen Smith, DePaul’s Paul Reed and Minnesota’s Daniel Oturu could be options.
With an extended offseason on the books in Golden State, Kerr and Myers will have plenty of time to study the 2020 draft class.
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