The Warriors enter the 2020-21 NBA season with the starters locked in the point guard, the shooting guard, the forward and the forward.
But what about the center?
Kevon Looney and Marquese Chriss have shown that they can play consistent minutes at the position, but there is an NBA draft prospect that could be a better long-term option for the Warriors.
Memphis Tigers center James Wiseman was previously projected as the No. 1 prospect in the NBA 2020 Draft, but has now lagged behind some other players.
Could Wiseman be a match for the Warriors if they hold onto their pick of the top 5?
Draymond Green thinks so, although he admitted on ESPN’s “Jalen and Jacoby” that he hasn’t seen Wiseman much, to be fair, neither of us has.
“I’ve seen some clips of his workouts and highlights, and he appears to be quite mobile, a fairly athletic guy,” Green said Tuesday. “So with our speed and pace, the way we play, I think it would definitely be a great addition if that were the case, but I really don’t know what choice we are going to get or what choice we are going to take. I am a living testament to that. You never know how the draft will go and how the cards can fall. “
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qesG9dYGx5Y
In the NBC Sports Bay Area Mock Draft 10.0, Insider James Ham has the Warriors picking Iowa state guard Tyrese Haliburton at No. 5 and the Minnesota Timberwolves picking Wiseman at No. 6.
With Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Green comprising four-fifths of the Warriors’ starting lineup, the 7-foot-1, 235-pound Wiseman could be the missing piece.
[[[[RELATED: Wiseman doesn’t mind going to No. 1]But he comes with question marks. Wiseman’s college career lasted three games after he was deemed ineligible because the NCAA discovered that Memphis coach Penny Hardaway provided money to help the Wiseman family move from Nashville to Memphis in 2017.
Wiseman was reinstated, but instead of returning to Memphis, he decided to drop out of school and prepare for the NBA draft. In those three games, Wiseman averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 23.0 minutes.
The Warriors have spoken to Wiseman on a Zoom call, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported earlier this month, from what we know is on his radar.
With the draft delayed until October 16, the Warriors have plenty of time to make a decision about what to do with their team. But it appears that Wiseman has Draymond’s seal of approval.
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