After reports emerged that prized rookie James Wiseman is expected to miss the next seven to 10 days due to a sprained wrist, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has now revealed how he intends to make the necessary tweaks to his squad's rotation in the wake of this recent development.
According to coach Kerr, the Dubs will be taking a committee approach in filling the void Wiseman's injury has left, with Kevon Looney, Eric Paschall, and Draymond Green all expected to take on more significant roles sans Wiseman.
This report comes via Anthony Slater of The Athletic:
Kevon Looney, the Warriors' only healthy traditional center, said he expects "a little bit more minutes" with James Wiseman out. But Steve Kerr did say there'd be more Draymond Green and Eric Paschall small-ball center usage.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 2, 2021
It is worth noting that Kerr recently demoted Wiseman to the second unit. After starting at center for the Dubs for the first 16 games of the season, Wiseman took on a bench role over the past four games. It was Looney who got the nod in Wiseman's place, with the 6-foot-9 big man taking over the team's starting center spot.
It would be safe to assume that in the wake of Wiseman's injury, Looney will continue to start at the five for the Warriors. After all, it's not as if coach Kerr has other options behind Looney in terms of a traditional big. This team, however, is not a stranger to small-ball lineups — it was a reliable go-to strategy during their title runs a couple of years back — so it goes without saying that coach Kerr is more than comfortable with playing without a traditional center in his lineup.
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