NBA Rumors: James Wiseman considered as one of the safest players in the 2020 Draft
The upcoming 2020 NBA Draft does not boast of the most gifted pool of talent. Outside a few players, there's little to separate the rest of the pack and hence it's not surprising that many NBA rumors have teams trading down for other considerations. One name that's been seen as a consensus top-five pick is Memphis' James Wiseman.
NBA Rumors: James Wiseman a safe pick in the 2020 Draft
Most early projections have seen James Wiseman end up with the Golden State Warriors who own the second overall pick and also need more options at the five. The Warriors have, however, masqueraded their true interests in the draft so as a result, doubts have emerged regarding Wiseman.
While going over his latest mock draft, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie quashed these second-thoughts. He mentioned that league executives actually consider James Wiseman to be one of the safer options in the 2020 Draft even though some NBA rumors might suggest otherwise.
"A lot of executives I’ve spoken with actually consider Wiseman to be among the safer players in the draft. Simply put, few executives doubt that his size, length, athleticism will translate into being a starting quality NBA center."
Vecenie also mentioned that the Golden State Warriors could just draft Wiseman with their pick and later go on to trade him based on what deals are on the table.
Analyzing James Wiseman's strengths and weaknesses
James Wiseman averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds for the Memphis Tigers last season. However, his strongest ability is protecting the rim, which he showcased by managing three blocks per game. He's a great defensive player in general and his 7'1 frame coupled with his agility allows him to close out shooters even on the perimeter.
The biggest question mark regarding Wiseman though is his shooting ability. He cannot stretch the floor and his free throw averages aren't too convinci either. Irrespective of this, he seems destined for a storied career in the NBA.
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