The Warriors drafted James Wiseman with the second pick. Now he’s only worth second-rounders.
At first, it appeared that the Warriors had successfully shuffled their roster, flipping Wiseman for a 23-year-old three-and-D wing in Bey. But Bey won’t be heading to Golden State.
That’s a depressing return for the player the Warriors took one spot ahead of LaMelo Ball in 2020. And a depressing return for the team’s veterans, who were hoping for reinforcements and got future draft capital instead. In the past, the Warriors simply bought second-round
picks. Now, they’re taking them for a center who was supposed to be a franchise cornerstone.
It’s better that the Warriors simply found a new home for Wiseman, who missed the entirety of their title run in 2021-22 and only played 60 games for the team in three years. He can get a chance to finally play, something he hasn’t had a chance to do in college or the pros.
And of course, it saves them money. Lots and lots of money.
That’s not much consolation to the remaining veterans, who are scuffling for a playoff spot with Stephen Curry out. And it doesn’t rule out future moves, especially with buyout candidates.
But the Warriors may have decided to accept that they blew it drafting Wiseman. And if the team can’t win on the road, they don’t get to have Saddiq Bey.
