The Golden State Warriors were hoping for great things from James Wiseman this season.
Returning from a devastating injury, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft failed to get going this season and was ultimately traded away to the Detroit Pistons.
But according to reports, Warriors owner Joe Lacob told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic that trading away Wiseman might end up being a big regret for the team.
“You know, we might very well regret that one, longer term or even intermediate term,” Lacob said.
Warriors Owner Joe Lacob on trading James Wiseman:
“You know, we might very well regret that one, longer term or even intermediate term.”
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— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 3, 2023
Lacob elaborated and said that the team’s basketball operations and the coaching staff decided that getting rid of Wiseman was the right choice.
Wiseman was averaging just 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds a game with the Warriors this season.
That’s a pale comparison when you look at his first season with the Warriors when he netted 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds a game.
But now that he’s playing for the Pistons, he has seemingly gained a second wind.
Wiseman has averaged 11.8 points and 8.2 rebounds in his five games as a Piston thus far.
Some have speculated that the pressure of playing for the Warriors was too much for Wiseman.
Now that he’s playing for a team that isn’t dealing with playoff expectations, the center seems to be able to play a more free and entertaining brand of basketball.
The Warriors no longer had faith in Wiseman, but as owner Joe Lacob said, it just might be a decision that comes back to haunt the franchise in the near future.
