James Wiseman's Warriors future remains uncertain as the 21-year-old continues to bounce back and forth from the G League to the NBA this season.
The 7-foot-1 center hasn't played since Dec. 28 and has remained on the bench over the Warriors' last 13 games.
Wiseman's situation has led to confusion about what his place with the Warriors might be, but some of his teammates, like Andrew Wiggins, are trying their best to advise the third-year big man and keep his spirits up as he waits for his opportunity to see the floor again.
“For sure, especially as a young guy, NBA could be tough, especially playing on a good team like this championship-caliber team,” Wiggins told reporters Sunday. “It’s tough and it’s going to be a lot of ups and downs. But he’s still so young. The sky is still the limit for him. So much potential.”
Wiggins also noted that he’s seen the growth of Wiseman despite the inconsistent playing time. Additionally, Wiggins encouraged Wiseman to keep putting in work behind the scenes.
“He’s grown so much,” Wiggins continued. “I don’t know if he’s seen [but] himself from me watching him from last year to this year is unbelievable how much he’s grown. So he’s got to keep working and keep his head on straight as ready is. He [is] a good kid and the sky’s the limit for him. He’s got a bright future.”
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Warriors coach Steve Kerr recently pulled Wiseman for a one-on-one conversation, where he elaborated on how his situation can change.
“One of the things I told James is that in this league things change quickly,” Kerr told reporters Sunday. “You just don’t know. I reminded him that JK had some DNPs early this season. It’s tough. But things can change quickly, and you always have to stay ready.
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Golden State is currently the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference and is fighting to stay out of the NBA play-in tournament, where it’s a one-and-done situation.
If the Warriors want a chance to repeat as NBA champions, Kerr has to go with players that give him the best chance to win, while Wiseman will be doing whatever he can to get in the rotation down the road.