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While the Golden State Warriors weren’t exactly counting on James Wiseman to contribute much down the stretch this season, his absence looms particularly large at the moment. On Saturday, the Dubs tip-off their first-round playoff series with the Nuggets, which means a heavy dose of Nikola Jokic is incoming.
At worst, Wiseman would have added six extra fouls per game to use against the MVP favorite. However, as the only true seven-footer on the roster, he may have been able to make life at least a modicum more difficult for Jokic as well (if only in spurts).
Instead, it’s going to be up to Draymond Green and Kevin Looney to slow Joker down, not to mention the other monster bigs the Warriors could face if they advance.
Regardless of how it all plays out, team president Bob Myers would do well to shore up the pivot for such occasions in the future. For all his potential, Wiseman is still an unknown quantity and his health is of major concern, and Green will never be taller than 6-foot-6.
To that end, one writer believes that the Warriors and soon-to-be free agent Isaiah Hartenstein could be a winning partnership.
B/R: Hartenstein Could Be a Strong Fit With the Warriors
On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey broke down his ideal landing spots for the best ballers hitting free agency this summer. Where Hartenstein was concerned, he landed on the Warriors as the big man’s top option.
Wrote Bailey:
Throughout Stephen Curry‘s career, the Golden State Warriors have been at their best with a 5 who plays defense, moves the ball and doesn’t demand a ton of shots.
Isaiah Hartenstein has proved able to check all those boxes (or, if you remember the bubble tests of your youth, fill those circles in completely). This season, he’s averaging 17.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.4 blocks and 1.5 steals per 75 possessions, with a 65.8 true shooting percentage and a top-25 box plus/minus.
Hartenstein pulled down just $1.7 million in 2021-22. Like Looney, he’s probably due for a big raise this offseason, however, he may have more to offer than the Warriors’ iron man.
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Hartenstein’s Big Year
Although he had a strong 16-game run with the Cavs to close out the 2020-21 campaign, the Clippers essentially snagged Hartenstein off the scrap heap last summer. The seven-footer was signed to a camp deal with basically no expectations beyond competing for a back-end spot.
He went on to lock down his deal, after which he became an indispensable part of LA’s frontcourt.
Hartenstein has been a force at the rim offensively, connecting on 75.4% of his attempts within three feet of the hoop during the regular season. The 23-year-old is also an underrated passer; his assist percentage of 19.3 far outpaced that of Looney (12.7).
That said, his defense and rebounding are the big selling point here. On attempts within six feet of the hoop, opponents’ field-goal percentages dropped by an average of 10.4% when Hartenstein was the closest defender.
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