Watching the NBA Finals has given Warriors coach Steve Kerr hope that James Wiseman can develop like Suns center Deandre Ayton has, writes Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area. In a radio interview this week, Kerr compared his rookie big man to Ayton, who is one of the cornerstones on a title contender in his third year in the league.
“I’m just so inspired by what Ayton has been able to do. And I think there’s no reason why James can’t follow that same path,” Kerr said. “(The Suns) really streamlined his game. You think back a couple years ago and he was kind of all over the map. You could tell how gifted he was, but you weren’t exactly sure what he was. They’ve figured it out. I’m watching Ayton quite a bit and I’m thinking a lot about how we can use James and simplify the game and make him really effective for us next year.”
Wiseman was the second player taken in last year’s draft, but his adjustment to the NBA didn’t go smoothly. He averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per night, but only played 39 games because of injuries before undergoing season-ending meniscus surgery in April. Kerr believes patience is the key to Wiseman’s ultimate success.
“I know everybody is impatient (and) wants him to be great now. It just doesn’t work that way,” he said. “But if we continue to develop him and we’re having a great season — that’s the whole plan, that’s the whole idea. Over the long haul, we’re gonna develop James and we feel like he’s gonna be our starting center at some point for a long, long time.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Golden State hosted several top prospects this week, but the team still prefers to trade the Nos. 7 and 14 picks for a veteran who can contribute right away, sources tell Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle. The Warriors brought in Davion Mitchell for a private workout on Thursday, and Letourneau hears that the front office is split on the Baylor guard, with some believing he can provide immediate help and others concerned that he’s too old at nearly 23 to justify a top-10 selection.
- There’s speculation that Jonathan Kuminga could fall to No. 7, which James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area calls “a dream come true” for the Warriors in his latest mock draft. Although the 18-year-old is a raw talent, he could be groomed as a replacement for free agent forward Kelly Oubre or he may be an attractive target for teams that want to trade up.
- NBA.com tracks the Warriors’ connections to the Olympic tournament, which will start next weekend. Draymond Green of Team USA and Nico Mannion of Italy will both be playing, while Kerr is an assistant for the U.S. and Mike Brown is the head coach of Nigeria.
My opinion is the Warriors should keep #7 pick and build the future dynasty. To much is being made to bring in another all star. Why trade and delete your team for 1 player. Build the bench and do not trade Wiseman.
You say that, but exactly zero finals teams over the last decade have gotten regular minutes out of players in their first couple seasons. If you want playoffs next year (GSW does) then they have to flip the picks into someone more interesting.
Personally I’m not into any of the all-star gets for next year: Kawhi probably not playing next year, Lillard on GSW has its own issues – the only star I want to join the big 3 is PG13. Cade is also a huge want.
But no, in agreeing with your “build the bench” comment, I’d rather trade 7, 14, Wiggins and Oubre and get 3-5 really good but not all-star level (yet) types. Like, I’d flip all those to the Spurs for 12, Murray, White and Poeltl and call it a day.
last 2 years is because of Covid so don’t even try to pretend those fake stats matter. Bucks had no 1st round picks play this year. Suns 1st rounder got hurt. Year before Lakers traded their #1 pick and Miami’s #1 pick played crucial minutes in the finals for them. So I rate you post as fiction. Sorry marty but your facts do not add up at all. you were debunked.
It’s not a bad idea to build for future. And go for it with young talent. But Warriors window is now. Wiseman is only one you keep. I’ve said he can be like Ayton when playoffs started. Imo he can be better cause he can be better on D. D n reb is where he should concentrate right now. That’s how he helps them right away. His offense will come just like Aytons is coming. Warriors have the assets to add good talent. Better mix n chemistry with their core. If Love gets bought out. They should be first in line for him. I still like Wiggins but to me Barnes is a better fit. And you probably get him cheap. Warriors have a few options. I think they will go for vets over picks. To me Obrue is not a good mix there. I said it all yr, even though he had a good second half. A sign n trade would be a great move for them. You get Barnes for him that’s genius. Barnes would be all out to come back n play there. Warriors probably making major trade draft night. Expecting Knicks to do it also (moving up) trade.
Spurs got regular minutes from Kawhi early. Mid first pick too lol.
Why cant you name the players then? I mean why even take what I wrote personally and have to defend it (poorly) when ultimately I agreed with you??? I think we have to extend the bench over bringing in a suprestar (other than PG or Cade).
Bottom line is no one from the previous draft, and honestly no one in their second season has not played serious roles on title winners of the last decade. Here’s the list:
2020 finals: Tyler Herro (R), Bam/Duncan Rob. Year 3
2019 finals: FWW/Siakam both Y3
2018 finals: Meh
2017 finals: McCaw played a small role
2016 finals: nah
2015 finals: tech Dray/HB were in year 3/Klay Y4
2014 finals: Kawhi Y3
You are arguing against all this. Saying I am lying. I am not lying.
Cavs traded away their #1 pick to get Love. Irving was in his 4th year another #1 pick. Cavs used 3 out of 4 first round picks to build that team they had for a 4 year run. They traded away a pick for Towns to get Love. That is the reason there was no rookies on their team because of trades.
Warriors traded away their first round picks 2017,2013,2014 to build their team. Their 2015 pick Looney was injured is why he couldn’t play. So you can’t say rookies didn’t play when the teams did not have any to play.
Dude you’re literally arguing against yourself. So the teams that made the finals didn’t have rookies …. because they traded them for win now vets?
Whoa!!
Average age of a lotto pick is like 19— most of them aren’t going to be contributors on championship level teams. It is what it is.
No I am explaining it to him why there was no rookies on those teams. When the same teams are in the finals for almost 5 straight years they do not get high draft picks to keep. If warriors were picking in with the 30th pick in a draft trading it away is smart but not 7th pick. I wouldn’t mind them trading the 14th pick if they keep the 7th pick. This is their best pick they will have for the next 3 years and maybe more.
Who cares about rookies. Any ROY can help a contender. Mitchell went 13th to Jazz. You telling us he wouldn’t have helped. It’s not rookies LOL. It’s hitting on rookies. But you are rolling the dice so contending teams rather bet on vets. Heat got to Finals cause of Duncan and Herro and Nunn all basically rookies and Bam in his third yr. So it’s always about talent and chemistry and some luck. Nothing is as simple as no rookies. You made a good point about teams trading theirs picks.
True in a general sense
But Cleveland traded Wiggins for Love. And LA traded Ingram and Ball plus picks for AD. So there’s some recent precedence for what GSW may do this offseason.
To Al’s point sure in theory if you draft the right kid they’ll help but that’s easier said than done. Which is why contending teams tend to trade picks (lottery or otherwise) for sure things. Bc rolling the dice has less value for them than bottom
feeder teams.
Warriors need to realize that championship window is closed and build for the future.
From what I see there is no team you can say will dominate next year. So warriors have as good a chance as any other team in the league. There is not one team in the NBA you can say is the best team going into next year.
If Brooklyn or the Lakers can stay healthy (big ifs I know) they will win the title.
Same can be said for about 5 or 6 teams. Warriors healthy and they are one of the top teams and neither of those teams will be better than them.
Brooklyn for sure. The Lakers not so much. First of all, LeBron is not getting any younger and is showing signs of age even when he is healthy. Secondly, Davis has become a chronic injury concern. Third, the rest of the roster is a mess.
Brooklyn was pummeled with injuries this year. Saying the Lakers are more injury prone is … not true?
Lakers were 21-6 when healthy. Not crazy to think if AD and LeBron can stay healthy for 2 months next Spring they get a ring.
Whip could have written that before the title run.
Spoken like someone who’s fave team got destroyed by Curry for 5 years and is scared its about to happen again – LOL
The second dynasty window is opening. Be scared. Stay scared. Steph’s joy in buckets will win in the end.
Did you watch Steph Curry at all this year?
Championship window is wide open
Many free agents will walk away for nothing from top 8 teams
The Warriors “dream come true” would be if they were able to trade up to get Suggs or Cunningham not to draft Kuminga at #7. The guy has a lot of talent but he is also the furthest of the top 7 from being ready to be a significant contributor – further than Wiseman was last year. If the Warriors are serious about maximizing the Curry/Klay/Dray window, they really should try to trade Kuminga if he’s the best guy at the #7 pick.
Its hard to say who they have in mind at #7. I seen 5 different names being mentioned. Pistons and Rockets are not trading their picks unless they get a offer to good to resist. I would not trade Wiseman to move up which would be the cost to move up.
I actually hate these picks, there’s too much variance. I’d much prefer they trade up to top 4, but would rather trade the picks, Wiggins and Oubre and spread out that money over 3-5 players who are actually-good and not kent bazemore-“good”.
right now there is no all star up for trade even though many claim there is. I do not want Beal or Sakiam to many injuries for those 2. Oubre is going to be nothing for GSW. I highly doubt anything comes back worth it from a sign and trade. Oubre made it known he wants to be a starter so most likely to a bad team that has money to burn.
Plenty of mid-tier guys on the trade market, pretty much all of the Spurs are. If GSW can flip one of their players into 3 or 4 of those type players, its over.
Also once the season is officially over the market will explode with even more trade requests and out of nowhere storylines, as it literally always does…
Nobody wants Wiggins or oubre to trade back.
Those guys don’t move the needle in acquiring a higher pick.
I’ll take Wiggins on Knicks.
I mean…Ayton was already the type of big you would compare Wiseman to, among others, at least defensively…that’s not much of a revelation, and also, you would hope Wiseman would be a lot better in certain areas, which was part of the probpem last year for Wiseman. Again, the matchups have allowed Phoenix to get away with a lot of Ayton’s shortcoming, but now that Milwaukee stopped using Brook Lopez much, those issues have been more prevalent, as expected…
Now that the baseball draft is over, I’m probably going to start researching NBA draft stuff, but I did see a little of Kuminga earlier in the year, and if I recall correctly, he reminded me of Wiggins, but I have to see what nites I wrote for myself on that, b/c I dont entirely remember.
GS needs help defensively at the guard spot, with a playmaker that can play with Steph and/or Klay, another 3 and D wing piece, and a floor spacing big, preferably someone that can defend at 1 or both big spots
…rofl well, I feel like I had more notes somewhere, but the ones I did find literally only said “Kuminga kind of reminds me of Wiggins, so hopefully theres more there, but I’ll have to see more.” So ya, amazingly helpful…I have 4 or 5 more games I have saved of him and Green waiting to be watched, so that will be part of that process
Kuminga just has bust written all over him in my opinion. I wouldn’t go anywhere near him.
For me, fit is always something to consider, so before I see anything, having the right pieces around him can help him. That being said, if he is a non caring, disappearing, lack of energy, ball stopping, non playmaking, non shooting, poor decision making, non defense despite length and athleticism type of guy, those are obviously things to worry about…I cant say anything yet though b/c I havent looked at anyone else besides the few games of Green that I saw, but that was so long ago, I barely remember anything…plenty of time left though. Last year, I did most of my research in a couple of days with about this much time out from the draft, although admittedly I had seen at least a couple of more players well before that
Why are you saying all this? Find your notes or don’t, I haven’t seen them. They will always say some team needs more wing pieces anyway. How about some drumsticks.
Lopez played more than Portis.
Dont understand your issue with how the game is played today
Lopez has played less than 20 minutes every night since playing more than 30 the first 2 games, which was the point
Next two years
Due to huge luxury tax
I predict
Jazz make salary dump trade for Conley or Joe Ingle
Suns let Cam Payne And Cam Johnson walk for nothing
Warriors are clearly title contender
Chris Paul should demand $140m contract if champ
$120m contract if not champ
Regardless of who wins the Finals, no one is giving CP3 a $120M-$140M contract at age 36.
And the Warriors aren’t even close to being contenders anymore. Klay won’t be near 100%.
@ WallyWood Someone over doesn’t watch the warriors but loves too talk about them! Watch out over here oh my
Why don’t you watch them if you like to talk about them like you know all?
Wally’s issue is with the Warriors. If any of their current players were on a different team, he would praise them.
Basically you just have to dismiss anything WallyWorld says about not only other teams but also his Rockets. He drinks the punch daily and can’t see anything objectively.
If Phoenix wins a ring (we’ll see…) and Paul asks for 3/120…you’re saying they say no?
Not so sure about that.
RE: Klay. Not looking great. But Klay’s game in theory should age well, injuries or otherwise.
salary dump trade for Conley?? what are u talking about?? Conley is a FA this year…
Stop dreaming silly. Klay will be 32 when he cames back from 2 season ending injuries. There is no way in hell he’s going to be the same guy.
Utah can be a contender if they can move Rudy Mann Jr!! I’ll attach picks just to dump his contract. If they manage to do that for S&T Holmes + Hield, they’ll be back in contention.
CP3 shouldn’t be getting more than 2 years for $50 millions. I understand that this will be his last NBA contract but he racked up so many max so he’s loaded. You going to have to play him at 39 years old if you sign him for 3 years which will be madness!
Buster Posey came back after missing 2 seasons, and is playing better than he has ever played. You have no idea how he will be.
What we need to realize is that this era of the NBA is almost over. Let me start by emphasizing that these Ages I refer to are all about ratings and casual fans being interested. There were very few casual fans in the pre-Magic/Bird era and the NBA lost a lot of interest in between Jordan and LeBron.
The “Golden Age” of the NBA in the 80s/90s started with Larry Bird/Magic Johnson and arguably ended with Jordan’s last title in Chicago. Then the NBA went into the tank for several years until LeBron’s 2nd or 3rd year when fans started taking notice again. And the “Silver Age” of the NBA was born around 2004-05. But LeBron is on his way out, no matter what he thinks. He has 17 years of NBA competition on his legs. No player in history has played that much and been able to sustain success. The human body is not built that way. In addition to LeBron, many other superstars are on the back side of their careers. Right now, I don’t think any of the young players are ready to take up the mantle of “face of the NBA.” I think we might be headed for another early 2000s break when good players and good teams existed, but the league was not really noticed as much.
Could Devin Booker break out and become that superstar? Could Zion prove to be more than just good stats on a bad team? Could one of the new draftees be it? I cannot answer that just yet and neither can anyone else.
Still have KD, Kawhi, Anthony Davis, Embiid, and then there are emerging stars like Luka, Jokic, Giannis, KAT, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Bam, Ja Morant, Zion, De’Aaron Fox…
I dont think there are any problems there. They also obviously market well enough for you to think Devin Booker is in that category, so they should be fine…that being said Lebron has at least another 5 years in the tank as a great player, at minimum, and could probably last a few more and still be significantly valuable
If you’re speaking to tv ratings, im not aware of those, nor do I care, but I you should also remember that media isnt consumed the same way as it previously was, and they obviously are fine enough for networks to give them massive tv deals, mostly b/c live content is a big deal, and those networks are therefore willing to pay large amounts for it
For someone not aware of TV ratings, you sure know a lot about finding ways to argue against them. Admitting you know nothing about a subject, defeats your argument before you begin.
KD is 33, Kawhi is always hurt, Davis is content being in LeBron’s shadow, Embiid is just not going to be the face of the NBA.
LeBron is 36 years old, with 17 NBA years on his legs. Kobe went downhill quickly at 36, so did KG, LeBron will be no different. The human body, no matter how talented, cannot last that long at an athletic peak.
Of that list of young superstars, only Giannis has actually won anything so far. Most of them weren’t even in the playoffs. As I stated, there were great players like Shaq, Duncan, and Vince Carter in the early 2000s, but nobody cared. Until the next “true” generational talent emerges, I just don’t think the NBA will take the next step forward.
The next “true generational talent” is one win away from his 1st championship.
Don’t worry hiflew I couldn’t even respond to the post when he said LeBron has another 5 years as a great player left. I know he is under 40 because anyone over 35 knows you body goes down hill fast once you are over 35. Lebron body matured early in his teens so he will age faster in his old age. NBA is a young man’s game.
I didnt say 5 years as the best player in the league, which he still is, by the way
he is not the best player in the NBA. If he was we would be talking about the lakers in the finals. You are going to be in for a big surprise in the next few years watching his stats go down. Youth is something that you need in the NBA its unlike MLB where you can rest in between innings.
This comment goes back to what I’ve been saying about people looking at the game as individuals. Again, to act like Lebron wont be significantly valuable for at least the next few years, after what we have seen, barring some sort of significant injury, or premature retirement, is asinine
Well, from what I have heard, they’re up from previous couple of years, and slightly down from other years, but otherwise, I’m not aware of them…but I’m saying it doesnt matter in terms of the total number as much as some people talk about with other things b/c if the things I was saying.
Lebron can definitely change his game to play more in the post, and as a facilitator moving forward, as his athleticism declines. Even if he isnt the best player in the world in these next couple of years, he will still be significantly valuable
You also missed where I said “emerging”
@hiflew… 18 years only for LBJ, not 17… so he has a few good ones left yet!
I also forgot to mention that Tim Duncan was still great when he retired at 39
@hiflew – Excellent Post. I’d only add that the NBA is not exempt from the overall demand for professional sports. A 45-50 year upward trend line measured from the 1960’s has been breaking down and reversing for the last decade. The NBA ascended with the wind at it’s back. It will face headwinds in maintaining existing interest in its product.
Ha I liked “The Silver ” age , pretty clever and agree w most of your overall premise
I wonder about ratings, do they catch the whole net? I doubt they register the games I watch every night
And the way the games growing Internationally I doubt they care about ABC’s/ESPN’S ratings that much presently ….Maybe the ratings are low b/c of JVG not CP3?
NBA is swimming in cash, and GROWING/ well branching out moreso like crazy Rn –
I kinda feel like the ratings crowd are just the grumpies ;( (not saying that’s you)
@hiflew man you skip right over Kobe/Shaq, and you don’t think Luka, Giannis, Trae, [whoever], is going to take the next step to be the face/s of the game?
Agree LBJ and the old guard is on the way out, but imo, the NBA is about to really blossom beyond what it’s been.
Sadly I agree with this. Giannis might end up being the Hakeem before LeBron makes one last run then dips. Kawhi, KD, Curry, Harden, Dame, Butler are all in their 30’s and Davis and Embiid are injury prone. Even Giannis is a guy who could be washed by early 30’s.
Luka Trae and Zion are exciting so I hope they can carry the torch but they might end up being closer to Kobe Duncan and Garnett than Michael Barkley and Robinson or LeBron D Wade and KD etc etc
If Kuminga falls teams are stupid.
Green has a legit case to go 2 and if not he’s going 3rd. Both him and Kuminga went to the G league ignite team. Let’s quickly just compare numbers.
Green: 18-4-3-1.5
Kuminga: 16-7-3-1-1
Not a hell of a lot different considering they play two different positions. Green was a lot more efficient as a scorer and projects to be more ready with high potential but Kuminga will still make an impact from day 1 and although he’s raw he also has really good potential.
Golden state needs to add young talent to a aging and expensive group of veterans. In my opinion not trading high lottery picks and young talent for maybe one more run.
The splash brothers is a part of the past. Klay is going to turn into a Joe Harris when he comes back lol
Unless Beal Lillard Or Simmons comes over I just don’t see the Wiggins upgrade worth dealing these picks let alone Wiseman –
Now sure if they can land one of those 3 GO FOR IT….but I think its less thab 50% (even tho they have top tier packages) they get one-
Theres no shame in making these picks, getting Klay back and seeing where it all goes….always the trade deadline
There are more players better than Wiggins, than those three. He does not get into events. Total wingding and IDK what that even means but I like it here.
One way or another, something drastic will get done for W’s. The trio are demanding an upgrade so they can contend for another title. Otherwise, Curry could easily demand for a trade.
GSW prefer, all things being equal, to add a veteran star as opposed to retaining Wiseman and drafting more young players. I get this.
But most of the proposed GSW trades I’ve read involve guys who are almost certainly not available, and, even they become available, it won’t be a trade that’s doable prior to the draft. E.g., Oubre can’t be the subject of even a prospective S&T until the FA period starts. Obviously, the GSW could, after the draft, trade draft rights to their picks, but I doubt they are going to draft guys in anticipation of the needs of a possible trade partner.
The best proposed trade I’ve read was actually on ESPN. It’s where the GSW trade #7, #14, unprotected 2022 1st and Wiseman to DET for the 1st overall pick. I doubt DET would trade the pick, but that’s obviously a great package. I think it would work for GSW. CC can contribute now, or be a better trade chip than the collection of assets they would send to DET.
That is by far way too much to trade for a player who has not played in the NBA. I am not sure who proposed that trade but no way is GSW going to give up that much for Cunningham. The person who must said it is a Piston fan.
Name the veteran star who want?
I can almost guarantee that the GSW would have a better chance of getting that guy with CC as a trade chip, than with Wiseman and the rights to the players taken with #7 and #14, and the 2022 1st. Like it or not, CC will be a top 10 league trade asset before he takes the court. None of assets GSW gives up are close to that.
No offense, but that package gets nowhere near 1 imho –
Arc your way off here respectfully
Weaver is only looking for a Hou overpay Imo for 1 –
I think GSW has as good as shot as any for Beal Simmons or Dame if they become available.
There will need to be a 3rd team necessary and it will all have to align with those outgoing 3 FO visions but they are there if talks get serious
Got a weird feeling they get Simmons in a 3 teamer for all the assets they got in the tank right now sans maybe Poole. Scary feeling for the West if that happened, sign friend McGee and go cheap C again
Simmons in GS is very interesting and enticing. I would love to see that. That could actually happen. I’m Sixers I take Wiggins and picks. That #7 pick can be Mitchell. #14 could be K Jones. Both can help next yr. Plus I’d sign Love if he gets bought out. A contender will sign Love when he gets bought out. I predict he might even get the midlevel. If you want him bad enough. Even Lakers could do that. All in all Simmons needs a new home imo.
where does Simmons play in GS? They have Green and JTA who are first defense over offense. Simmons would give them 3 defensive players. Wiggins would be needed for that trade so you lose 20 points a game there. Still need a center so you don’t play undersize every night.
If you have to ask. Then it’s probably a moot point. And why do you think Wiseman has to go.
I would love to do Wiseman, Wiggins, 7, 14, future 1st for Cunningham, Grant, Plumlee & Joseph.
That might work for DET without Cunningham, but not with him. The flaw in every GSW proposed trade is the inclusion of Wiggins. He dilutes the value of the rest of the package below what could potentially net a star, yet he may be needed for matching. CC is the best asset that can be obtained for his salary. Of course, he’s not available and DET likely wouldn’t trade all the way down to #7 regardless.
Kuminga is not falling. His shooting is not there yet. But he still scores points. He’s a very good 2way player right now. That’s better than half the league. His upside is an all-star. Magic are not passing on him. He’s a great compliment to Issac. Be dumb to pass on that. As much as I like Mobley. If Rockets pass, Cavs should let Raptors n Magic outbid each other for Mobley. And I’d be happy with either Suggs or Kuminga plus another asset. I take that 8th pick from Magic. To get Kuminga and K Johnson or Bouknight or Mitchell. To me that’s a coup.
Green is a great player and all stories are he’s a great kid. But I would not invest in Wood. He’s not staying and you are passing on a future great center. Too many rumors and stories about Wood attitude. Only cares about getting paid and does not want to be part of rebuilding. I’d get rid of him now, while his value is high. Haven’t Rockets learned yet about dealing with Divas.