NBA Rumors: Golden State Warriors Tempering Hype, Might Pass Up On James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball

KEY POINTS

Golden State Warriors are not too high on James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball
Ball might struggle in getting minutes behind the Splash Brothers
Wiseman's position and style of play could not be fit in Golden State

The Golden State Warriors might pass up the chance on picking either James Wiseman or LaMelo Ball in the upcoming NBA rookie draft, a report said.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers is said to be not too high on the highly touted prospects as a source told the San Francisco Chronicle that the only way the team would pick any of the two is if they opt to trade them away for another team.

“According to multiple league sources The Chronicle contacted in the past few days, the Warriors — contrary to what mock drafts might suggest — aren’t believed to be high on two of the three players being mentioned as possibilities at the No. 1 pick: former Memphis center James Wiseman and point guard LaMelo Ball, who last played for the Illawarra Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League,” Connor Letourneau wrote. “As one source put it, ‘I think they’d only take one of those two if they were trading down in the draft and taking them for another team.’”

The Warriors struggled mightily this season that they are expected to select early, if not the first, in the coming draft – a first in the Steve Kerr era. Prior to the NBA hiatus due to the Coronavirus, the Dubs posted the worst record in the league, having won just 15 of their 65 games overall.

Wiseman has the upside fit for a system that would thrive on bossing around the paint. The 19-year-old big man tallied 19.7 points on 76.9 percent from the field, along with 10.7 rebounds in his three-game stint for Memphis before being suspended due to eligibility issues.

Kerr’s system, however, has since revolved around a guard-centered scheme that focuses on outside shooting, making Wiseman a less viable option for the team.

The same reason applies to Ball, who could struggle in getting his minutes as he plays for a spot already signed and filled by the franchise’s cornerstones Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

The younger Ball – the brother of New Orleans Pelicans’ Lonzo – played in 13 games in Australia and averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals for the Hawks.