It's no longer a matter of if James Wiseman will make his long-awaited return to the floor at Las Vegas Summer League. As the Golden State Warriors prepare for their Sin City opener on Friday against the New York Knicks, it's finally become an imminent matter of when.
A few days after Wiseman was cleared for full-contact, 5-on-5 scrimmaging for the first time since February, Warriors Summer League coach Jama Mahlalela confirmed the No. 2 overall pick would eventually play in Las Vegas.
“In the next few games—probably not this first game—I do imagine we'll be seeing him,” Mahlalela said on Wednesday, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “It's a day-to-day thing, but he's making tremendous, tremendous progress.”
Wiseman has been sidelined ever since tearing the meniscus in his right knee on April 10th, 2021, as his disappointing rookie season came to a close. The Warriors initially forecasted his return to come in the first couple months of 2021-22, but persistent pain and swelling prevented Wiseman from ever taking the court last season.
The 21-year-old insisted he'd be ready for summer action at his exit interview following Golden State's fourth title in eight seasons, and was cleared for no-holds-barred scrimmaging on Sunday.
Though his play at Summer League may not inform Wiseman's potential role with the Warriors entering next season, it will nevertheless provide a glimpse into what they can expect from him after so much time spent away from organized basketball. Golden State took off when Wiseman initially suffered his injury, committing to small-ball full-time and ridding Steve Kerr's rotation of a young, inexperienced player who struggled to function in team concepts on both sides of the ball.
Wiseman's physical tools have never been in doubt. Bare minimum, he needs to show he's too big and explosive for Summer League foes, reveling in physicality the way he didn't as a deer-in-the-headlights rookie. Some flashes of skill development as a jump-shooter and short-range finisher would be encouraging signs, too.
But Wiseman's hopes of earning regular minutes in 2022-23 will hinge on his ability to play off Steph Curry and Draymond Green on either end of the floor more than anything else. The Warriors' two-way systems won't be much different in Las Vegas than they are during the regular season, but there's no replicating the sweeping on-court influence provided by Golden State's veteran tone-setters.
Just getting back on the court is a win for Wiseman. Here's hoping he plays well enough during Summer League to enter training camp with some much-needed momentum after a lost sophomore season.
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