Crowned champions only a few days ago, the Warriors are already preparing the defense of their title behind the scenes. According to Steve Kerr, they are even preparing to come back even stronger next year, thanks in particular to a reinforcement already present in Golden State!
With 4 champion rings pocketed consecutively during his playing career, and a back-to-back already achieved as a coach, he seems to have the recipe for riding the wave of success. The enormous experience of Steve Kerr will therefore not be too much for the Warriors this summer. Just titled, Stephen Curry and his teammates do not intend to relax their efforts next season.
Now accustomed to success, the Dubs hope to repeat their feat of 2018, and do a double blow next year by lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy again. To achieve this, the leaders will have to manage a pivotal off-season as well as possible, and try to keep the few key elements who will soon become free agents. Meanwhile, the coaching staff is working on the return of a forgotten nugget.
James Wiseman, the future X factor of the Warriors?
While the stars of Golden State will be entitled to a well-deserved rest during the Summer League, the young talents of the roster will have the opportunity to show themselves. A chance offered in particular to Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, but also… to James Wiseman. After an off season, the promising 21-year-old pivot could play a key role next year, as Steve Kerr revealed to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area :
We touch wood, and we hope that he will be able to stay in good health, chain the matches and become a formidable pivot in defense. That’s the idea, anyway. You have already seen how gifted he is offensively. He’s an alley-oop threat, a good shooter — he’s got it all.
Of the 39 games played in 2020-21 by Wiseman, it was above all his offensive talent that had jumped out in the eyes of observers.
However, the Warriors coaches should not be satisfied with this from him, and would seek to make it as complete as possible:
I think it could be particularly useful to us in the recognition of opposing systems in defense, and on the rebound. Considering his talent, size and physique, there’s no reason to think he can’t become a dominant defender in the league. But it takes a lot of time, a lot of games, and a lot of minutes spent on the floor.
An extremely flattering speech for the 2nd pick of the 2020 Draft, which could put some pressure on his back. Intelligent, Kerr nevertheless appeals for patience regarding his great hope of the snowshoes:
You have to give him time. He has to be lucky in terms of his health, and as I said, so far, everything is going well with his rehabilitation, so we hope it will continue like this.
Passed in the background in recent months, James Wiseman should return to the rotation of the Warriors next season, and play a leading role. Eventually, Steve Kerr hopes in any case to see him dominate on both sides of the field!
