James Wiseman was never going to work for the Golden State Warriors.
As high as his upside was, he wasn’t ready to contribute right away, and they couldn’t afford to wait for him to figure things out.
Having a second-overall pick racking up DNP-CDs or dominating in the G League was far from ideal, so they eventually realized that it was time to move on from him.
Realistically, they used that second-overall pick to dump salary and bring undrafted Gary Payton II back, which isn’t the best asset management in the league.
But at least he’ll now get a chance to bring his career back from the ground and reach his potential with the Detroit Pistons.
It’s been just a couple of games, but Wiseman has already shown glimpses of great play in Michigan.
For instance, he managed to hold his own in the perimeter against Orlando Magic forward Moritz Wagner, locking him down and forcing him to pass before grabbing a contested defensive rebound.
On an island, James Wiseman defends Moritz Wagner and closes the possession with the contested rebound pic.twitter.com/XG71RX2deU
— Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) February 24, 2023
There was a time when Wiseman was considered to be the best prospect in his class, but the lack of playing time in college due to a suspension raised plenty of questions about him.
Then, injuries and an unfavorable environment prevented him from proving what he was capable of, so it’s nice to see him thrive somewhere else.
Of course, the competition for minutes with Jalen Duren might not be an ideal setting, but perhaps that’s just the motivation he needs to finally take that leap forward.
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