Warriors: James Wiseman ‘high’ on their workout list

The Golden State Warriors reportedly want an in-person look at 2020 NBA Draft prospect James Wiseman.

After the Golden State Warriors‘ lackluster 15-50 season came to a close, speculation has moved to the 2020 NBA Draft — mainly what the team might do with their highly coveted draft pick.

With the worst record in the association, the team has a good chance of getting the No. 1 overall selection. Even though there has never been a clear consensus pick, James Wiseman appears to be the most viable option.

Since day one, Wiseman, arguably the top prospect in this upcoming draft class, has been linked to the Warriors. The 7-foot-1 center would be a substantial addition to this team that currently has its questions at the center position.

According to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors want an in-person look at Wiseman before the 2020 NBA Draft. Given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, teams have not been able to work out prospects, but if given the opportunity, Wiseman is very high on their to-do list.

"“They still hope to be involved in some sort of a draft combine and, if permitted, have several top prospects come to their facility for a private workout. Wiseman is high atop the list of guys they’d want to scrutinize in person.”"

Wiseman only played in three games in his collegiate career, for a grand total of 69 minutes. In that time, the 19-year-old impressed with averages of 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game.

As impressive as Wiseman looked, three games were undoubtedly a small sample size, making the Warriors interest in a private workout justifiable.

As much as selecting Wiseman would make sense for the Warriors, it is not a foregone conclusion. Several mock drafts have the team selecting LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and even Obi Toppin, who are all fine prospects, but not positions of need for Golden State.

At center this past season, typical starter Kevon Looney missed a majority of the season due to injury, appearing in just 20 total games. Marquese Chriss, typically a power forward, slid down to the center position in the absence of Looney and had a career year.

Still, adding a true center, let alone a top prospect at the position would not be a bad idea if the opportunity presents itself.

The Golden State Warriors will have to get a little lucky in the 2020 NBA Draft lottery.

It all depends where the Warriors land in the draft lottery on August 20th. In previous years, Golden State would have had the best odds to land the top pick.

However, with the NBA’s newly implemented rule, the bottom three teams will all have a 14 percent chance of getting the first selection.

Only time will tell what comes on August 20th, but Draymond Green believes that if his Warriors have the opportunity to select Wiseman, they should. Speaking on ESPN’s Jalen and Jacoby, Green stated the big man would be a great addition to their system.

"“I’ve seen some clips of his workouts and highlights, and he looks to be pretty mobile, a pretty athletic guy. So with our speed and pace, they way we play, I think he would definitely be a great add if that’s the case, but I don’t really know what pick we’re going to get or what pick he’s going to go. I’m a living testament to that. You never know how the draft is going to go and how the cards may fall.”"

The Warriors are currently playing the waiting game with August 20th circled on the calendar. Who knows, maybe the team will not even hang onto their highly sought after draft pick, trading it for more experienced pieces.

Regardless, if they do keep it, James Wiseman seems to make the most sense.