Getty James Wiseman.
Potential number # 1 overall draft pick James Wiseman reportedly has “zero interest” in being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves during the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft.
Recently, ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst made an appearance on “The Scoop W/ Doggie” and spoke about the reasons why the former Memphis big man doesn’t want to play for the Minnesota organization.
“Wiseman does not want to come to Minnesota because Karl Towns is there,” said Windhorst. “From what I understand, Wiseman doesn’t even want to do anything with the Wolves.”
Bay Area best for Wiseman?
GettyJames Wiseman, potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick (still)
While this news may be disappointing for Timberwolves fans it makes the most logical sense for Wiseman and his career. Given the NBA’s transition to small-ball and most teams having one big man in during play, it would be rather unique for the T’Wolves to transition to two big men who at times (or in Wiseman’s case, mostly) utilize the paint.
Yet the news is rather revealing and exciting for the Golden State Warriors organization as they have deliberated over whom to draft with their #2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer stated he’s heard “rumblings around the league suggest Golden State and Charlotte covet Wiseman.”
Knowing this, the University of Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway has spoken repeatedly about how great of a fit Wiseman would be on the Warriors.
“He can easily keep up with the game and the pace,” Hardaway told NBC Sports Bay Area this week. “He’s very athletic, very fast. He’d instantly be one of the better rim runners in the league. He’s also a rim protector; he is going to protect the rim. His skill set is good enough now, and it’s going to get better, especially because he’d be playing with veterans like Draymond, Klay, and Steph.
“Also, he can space (his shot) out to the 3. He’s been working on his jump shot and his understanding of studying film and what a team wants and needs. In their system, with those guys, he would be spectacular.”
Are the Warriors trading the pick?
GettyWarriors Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry
There has been a log of mixed signals as some signs point to the Warriors keeping the #2 pick and others have the team trading them for another star to help prop open the team’s championship window. In the case that the franchise is willing to trade their selection, two names who have repeatedly been brought up are Ben Simmons or Bradley Beal. NBC Sports Tom Haberstroh believes Ben Simmons is who the organization should go after.
“I think he is the perfect fit next to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and people might say ‘Hey, he kind of fills the same role as Draymond Green, why would you go for a guy that kind of duplicates what he does?’ Well, Ben Simmons is much younger than Draymond Green,” Haberstroh explained. “I think if you’re going to try to acquire someone with the No. 2 pick, and package it with next year’s pick they received from the Minnesota Timberwolves, I think you have to shoot for a player that is going to be someone that kind of transitions to that next phase of this Warriors team, after Stephen Curry, after Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.”
While new 76ers head coach Doc Rivers has spoken about keeping the tandem together, a trade may be something their new President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey may consider. In the case of Beal, it may depend on how well the Wizards start the season before he looks for greener pastures. Recently, Windhorst stated how Golden State could make the trade a reality.
Bontemps: “There are not a lot of teams that can trade for Beal because you have to have a lot to trade to get a guy like this … Bradley Beal is a top-15 player in the league. You have to give up value to get a player like that.”
Windhorst: “So a team that could enter the sweepstakes should (he) become available would be the Golden State Warriors.”
Bontemps: “The trade there is pretty simple. Andrew Wiggins is involved from a salary standpoint. And then it would be the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, the (Minnesota) Timberwolves pick next year, and then I also included Minnesota’s second-round pick next year — which I anticipate to be a very good selection.”