The Golden State Warriors just got more bad news on the future of James Wiseman, and one insider is raising the question of whether it’s just bad luck for the promising young big man or potentially something much more ominous.
Wiseman appeared on track to re-join the Warriors in the coming weeks after spending close to a year rehabbing a torn meniscus, but suffered a setback this week when he had more swelling in his right knee. As ESPN’s Kendra Andrews reported, Wiseman was held out of practice on Friday and Saturday and would not play in either of the Santa Cruz Warriors G League games this weekend.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was not certain about what the future now holds for Wiseman, including whether he will be able to rejoin the team this season.
“We will take a pause and see how the knee responds from there,” Kerr said.
The latest Warriors news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Warriors newsletter here!
Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area raised the question of whether Wiseman’s injury is just a temporary setback or the sign of something much more worrying.
Analyst Draws Troubling Comparison
In evaluating the future for Wiseman, Poole noted that some have started to raise concerns over whether the former No. 2 overall draft pick could be a bust. Poole specifically mentioned Greg Oden, the player thought to be a generational talent whose career was cut short by a series of injuries.
“Will the 7-foot-1 center the Warriors drafted as a teenager, visualizing as a future linchpin, ever get healthy enough to make an impact in the NBA? It’s fair to wonder if he might join the list of promising big men whose careers were shortened by injuries,” Poole wrote.
His status is “beyond uncertain”
Poole added that it feels impossible to give any kind of long-term projection for Wiseman, who only played 39 games his rookie season before suffering a knee injury in an April 10 game against the Houston Rockets. He showed flashes of strong play during that time and earned a spot in the starting rotation, but also struggled at times on offense.
Warriors Keeping Long-Term in Mind
Kerr has given strong indications that the Warriors will not be rushing Wiseman along this year and will instead take a very cautious approach. While that may mean the team giving up on hopes of getting him back for the playoffs, Kerr said prioritizing Wiseman’s health will be better in the long run.
“I will just keep going back to the fact that he’s 20 years old and he’s got his whole future ahead,” Kerr said. “We just have to be really, really cautious. We’ve got to do what’s best for him long-term.”
The franchise has made it clear that Wiseman is an important part of the team’s future. Owner Joe Lacob told The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami last year that the roster was built to contend for titles over a long period. That has led the team away from the temptation to trade Wiseman or rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, despite rumors that the team could go all-in for Steph Curry’s remaining window by trading their young players for an already-established NBA star.
READ NEXT: Steph Curry Gets Honest About His Long-Term Future With the Warriors
Insider Raises Troubling Comparison for Injury-Struck Warriors Big Man