The Golden State Warriors are going to push for a strong title defense in 2022-23 after their triumphant championship win last season. With Klay Thompson being fully back, the young players getting another year of experience, and Stephen Curry not missing a step, the Warriors look very dangerous.
Another massive factor for the Warriors will be the return of the #2 overall pick from the 2020 Draft, James Wiseman. Wiseman missed all of last season with injury and is expected to return on opening day. Despite his enormous upside, Steve Kerr has revealed he will use Wiseman off the bench behind the recently extended Kevon Looney on the Real One’s Podcast with Logan Murdock and Raja Bell
“To be fair to [Wiseman] and to Loon, Loon’s our starting five,” Kerr said. “He’s a championship player. He’s won multiple rings. He’s proven in the playoffs that he can switch and guard almost anybody out there, and also has the wherewithal to be really effective offensively because of his knowledge, his screen-setting, his recognition of patterns, all that. Realistically, Wise will back up Loon..”
“Wise has the capability to do some things that Loon can’t, number one being a lob threat,” Kerr said. “So we gotta put Wise in a position where he can be diving to the rim, giving us that vertical spacing that we haven’t had maybe since JaVale was here. He runs the floor beautifully. The biggest thing for James is he has the capability to be a really dominant defender with his size and speed, but it takes a ton of reps, so we’re gonna be asking him to defend, and run the floor and be that lob threat. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s gonna get better and better as the season goes on. He’s got a great future.” (h/t The Ringer)
Should James Wiseman Play Ahead Of Kevon Looney?
In terms of potential, Wiseman definitely projects to be a far more impactful center in the NBA. However, the Warriors need to ensure they can keep winning on the court, which means a lot of Wiseman’s development will happen off the court. He missed an entire season and his rookie season was not proof of him being a transcendent talent.
Looney is perfect for the Warriors system and has been an amazing player for them. He was crucial in the postseason and has continuity with the roster. Wiseman will definitely get opportunities through the season, but not at the expense of Looney.
Hopefully, the Warriors can find a balance between both players and have a formidable center rotation that further bolsters their squads’ chances of repeating.
