Getty Golden State Warriors big man James Wiseman warms up before a 2021 game against the Boston Celtics.
The Golden State Warriors have seen the expected return date of second-year center James Wiseman steadily pushing deeper and deeper into the season, and now it appears they’ll be waiting until the start of next season before he can return in full.
Wiseman has been out since undergoing surgery last April to repair a torn meniscus in his knee and was initially projected to return around January, but suffered a setback when he needed a second surgical procedure in December. The 20-year-old center has been steadily working his way through rehab, but an insider now says it’s unlikely he will be back in the regular rotation at all this season.
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Wiseman Still Not Ready
While there have been some encouraging signs for the Warriors as Wiseman returned to full-contact scrimmages and has been traveling with the team, it’s still unclear just when he would be able to play again. ESPN’s Kendra Andrews noted that Wiseman is now listed as day-to-day, but his true return will likely be months away. She reported that the coaching staff doesn’t believe Wiseman is ready to jump back into the more significant role he played last season, when he was a fixture of the starting lineup down the stretch.
“Still, one Warriors coach told ESPN that it’s highly unlikely that Wiseman will be a big part of the Warriors’ rotation, particularly in the playoffs,” Andrews wrote. “They want to plug him into specific situations but don’t believe he’ll be ready to take on the brunt of the work down low right away. Instead, they want him to get ready to be an integral part of the team next season.”
James Wiseman throwing down pregame dunks 💪
Warriors general manager Bob Myers has also hinted that Wiseman may spend some time with the G League affiliate in Santa Cruz before making a full return to Golden State.
“Whether he starts in Santa Cruz or the NBA, I don’t know yet,” Myers said in an appearance on 95.7 FM The Game. “But the idea would be to get him at least maybe a game in Santa Cruz and then, hopefully, get him some time with our team and let Steve decide how he wants to use him.”
More Injury Trouble for Warriors
Wiseman is not the only wounded Warriors big man. Draymond Green has also been out since January 5 with a back injury that was initially diagnosed as a calf injury, and Andrews reported that there is no exact timetable for his return either.
Do the Warriors’ title chances hinge on Draymond Green’s return?
Green played a more significant role for the Warriors than Wiseman, serving as the leader of the defense and a major facilitator of the offense. Teammate Steph Curry told Andrews that his on-court leadership is very important.
“We’re all built in terms of trust and chemistry, and to have a guy like [Green] who is very vocal, high IQ, has a certain approach to leadership, all that stuff matters,” Curry said.
While there is still no set return date, Green has expressed optimism that he will be back before the start of the playoffs. During the NBA All-Star Game, Green said on TNT that he would be back within three to four weeks.
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