In the current state of the NBA, with young stars like Zion Williamson and Luka Doncic exploding out of the gates, it is a sad reality for many young players that teams don’t have nearly as much patience as they once did regarding their development.

These days teams are expecting and seeing immediate dividends on their picks. LaMelo Ball and Tyrese Haliburton are certified as solid players already, and even Anthony Edwards is starting to live up to the hype after a rocky start to his rookie campaign.

For the Golden State Warriors, who by all accounts made a solid pick with James Wiseman second overall, they were expecting, if nothing else, an instant defensive contributor that they haven’t had since Andrew Bogut.

So the fact that he hasn’t consistently lived up to those expectations is even more tragic. Add to that the recent meniscus tear that will likely sideline the young big man for the rest of the season (and possibly more depending on its severity) and you have one of the more disappointing rookie seasons in recent memory.

What Can The Warriors Get For Wiseman?

For the Warriors, this latest setback presents a complicated issue. The team is built and marketed to win now, and by the looks of things, Wiseman is nowhere near their timeline.

The big question with Wiseman going forward: what do the Warriors do with him? More specifically, should they trade him and dump what is essentially dead weight so far and try to get some sort of return while he still has some value?

The short answer: No

The long answer: The Warriors might very well get a solid return for their young big man. However, with his suddenly worrying injury history and uncertain future, Wiseman’s value as a trade chip is likely the lowest it will ever be.

Furthermore, the Warriors are also preparing for the inevitable retirement and decline of Draymond Green. Since the heyday of the Warriors’ dynasty in the middle of the decade, Green’s production has fallen off a cliff, and while he still is able to fulfill his role as a defensive leader and Steph Curry’s best facilitator, there is no doubt that Golden State can see the end coming for him.

The Warriors need a big that can fill his shoes, period. Wiseman isn’t there right now, but physically he is everything that Green couldn’t even hope to be. Wiseman is a bouncy, explosive seven-footer that’s built like a mountain, with a legitimate shooting range to boot. His injury is severe, sure, but with little prior history to this season and a reportedly small tear, his youth and athleticism should still keep him hale for years to come.

Sure, he’s looked lost at times on offense, and he makes plenty of mistakes on the defensive end. But prior to his injury, you can’t prescribe Wiseman’s shortcomings to a lack of effort. Defense is one of the last things that a young player adjusts to because of the speed of today’s game, and the Warriors’ offense is nothing if not complicated. After all, Draymond’s main value is that he has innate chemistry with Steph Curry, which is something that only comes with time.

Wiseman Has Potential

When Wiseman has been on the court, he has aced the eye test. He runs and jumps like a deer, and his shot has a smooth release on his shot. That is something that simply can’t be said of the rest of Golden State’s bigs, including Draymond Green.

Let him adjust to the NBA and the Warriors’ offense. Let him hone his skills under two of the best teachers in the game in Steve Kerr and Draymond Green. Wiseman is already tough and talented. Wisdom and savvy come with time.

If nothing else. the Warriors have bigger and more pressing unknowns than James Wiseman. Klay Thompson’s return might just be a pipe dream, Draymond Green is declining, and Steph is apparently being recruited by Lebron James. Contractually, Wiseman is the only sure thing that they have right now.

If you’re the Warriors, this season is already lost. It has been since Klay went down. You’ve been patient so far, and it has paid off with three championships and the greatest NBA dynasty since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. You drafted Wiseman for his potential and ceiling. Give him a chance to reach it.