Warriors’ James Wiseman won’t play in California Classic, target return
in Las Vegas
James Wiseman was a full participant in practice Wednesday but the
Warriors said he won't play this weekend at Chase Center.
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: Santa Cruz Warriors’ James
Wiseman (33) dribbles the ball against NBA G League Ignite’s Amauri
Hardy (7) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: Santa Cruz Warriors’ James
Wiseman (33) dribbles the ball against NBA G League Ignite’s Amauri
Hardy (7) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: June 29, 2022 at 1:16 p.m. | UPDATED: June 30, 2022 at 4:20 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/06/29/warriors-james-wiseman-wont-play-in-california-classic-eyes-chance-to-return-in-las-vegas/

SAN FRANCISCO — James Wiseman said he felt “phenomenal” after being a
full participant in practice Wednesday, but Warriors fans will have to
wait a little longer to see the former No. 2 overall pick in action.

Wiseman won’t play in the California Classic at Chase Center this
weekend as he continues to get reps after a knee injury sidelined him
for the entire 2021-22 season. The goal is for him to play in the latter
part of the Las Vegas portion of Summer League, which begins July 7,
though the Warriors don’t play until the second day.

Wiseman said he feels great and hasn’t had any swelling in his
surgically repaired right knee. He’s still working on his conditioning
and testing his knee with contact drills and hard stops.

“I really want to play every game,” Wiseman said, “but it’s just based
on the coaching stuff and everything so I’m just going through the process.”

The Warriors are clearly being extra cautious with Wiseman, who’s
already experienced a pair of setbacks in his rehabilitation process
from a meniscus injury suffered in April 2021. The next few weeks could
be critical in terms of Wiseman’s preparation for next season.

“He hasn’t played in a long, long time, and so to get some games is
great but that will just be a little part of him building up towards
what he’s going to be next year,” said Santa Cruz Warriors coach Seth
Cooper, who will be at the helm for the California Classic. “I hope he
can just have fun and building confidence and do that.”

Golden State was initially hopeful Wiseman would return before last
season, but that timeline was pushed back. He underwent a second
procedure in mid-December to relieve inflammation. He played in three G
League games in March before he was shut down for the remainder of the
season because of persistent swelling.

Wanting to get the situation tackled once and for all, Wiseman went to
London in April to have an orthobiologic injection to boost healing in
his knee.

The injection seems to be paying dividends. Since then, he’s progressed
in his recovery while returning to some on-court activities.

After spending most of last season doing solo training sessions, Wiseman
could barely contain his excitement during practice Wednesday as the
team gears up for the California Classic, a summer basketball showcase
featuring games against the Lakers and Kings before the regular Las
Vegas Summer League.

“I was just smiling the whole time,” Wiseman said. “Just everything
about this is a dream still. I can’t wait for everything else that’s
coming for me, it’s going to be great.”

Still, there are ample question marks surrounding Wiseman and what the
Warriors will do going forward. Wiseman has played in only 45 games over
the last three seasons in college with Memphis, then the Warriors and
the team’s G League affiliate. It’s unclear when he returns how he’ll
adjust to the speed and physicality of the NBA.

Without Wiseman, Kevon Looney emerged as a foundational piece this
season and in the playoffs. The 6-foot-9 center is an unrestricted free
agent, but the Warriors have made re-signing Looney a priority.

Still, Wiseman’s skill and athleticism separates him from Looney, whom
he learned a lot by watching this season.

“One thing about Loon is just keeping it simple, not doing too much,
just playing his role, rebounding and just running the floor,” Wiseman
said, “and that’s what I’m going to do for this team. So like whenever
my opportunity comes, I’m just going to be ready to take the opportunity
and just work hard.”

If Looney does come back, that will take some pressure of of Wiseman,
though the 21-year-old said he feels he has a lot to prove.

- Other Summer League timelines

Jonathan Kuminga and Patrick Baldwin Jr. will join Wiseman on the list
of other Warriors players who won’t play in the California Classic.

Kuminga is back home in Congo with his family, but is expected to rejoin
the team in Las Vegas.

>RELATED ARTICLES
Kurtenbach: Kevin Durant’s trade request could be a real problem for
the Warriors
Kevin Durant gives Nets trade request exactly three years after
leaving Warriors
Here are the top Warriors to watch at Summer League
Warriors decline to give Toscano-Anderson qualifying offer, making
him unrestricted free agent
Stephen Curry tapped as host of 2022 ESPYS

Meanwhile, Baldwin, the No. 28 pick of this year’s draft, is recovering
from a left ankle injury that limited him to just 11 games last season
with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Baldwin was able to do some
on-court stuff at practice Wednesday, including shooting and non-contact
drills. But the Warriors will also put him through some off-the-court rehab.

“The ankle felt good today,” he said. “Just kind of testing it out right
now seeing how it reacts to this type of workload and just kind of take
it from there.”

Baldwin was initially injured during his senior year of high school
during the 2020-21 campaign, but reaggravated it last season. He
previously said he was at 95%, though the Warriors will remain cautious
in increasing the rookie’s workload too quickly to avoid a setback.

“I think I’m right at the brink of” being at full strength, Baldwin
said, “so just really working through it every day and make sure it’s 100%.”

That leaves Moses Moody as the headliner for the Warriors in the
California Classic. How much Moody will play has yet to be determined,
but the second-year guard said he’s looking forward to taking on more of
a leadership role with the team this month.

“When I’m on the floor, we’re trying to win,” Moody said. “So If I need
to tell somebody where they need to be, and that’s gonna be the best
chance of winning, I’m going to do that. I’m gonna try to help guys out,
I know the system, I know how we play and they might not. So I’m
obviously going to talk to them.”