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Kendra AndrewsESPN
San Francisco — James Wiseman The Golden State Warriors’ Santa Cruz Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Monday night that the Golden State Warriors will be out on Tuesday for an extended period.
Kerr said Wiseman’s mission could last up to 10 days in a row. Lieutenant General Weizmann informed of the decision on Sunday.
“I don’t see this as a discount,” Wiseman told reporters Monday night. “I’m just ready to go out there and ring.”
Wiseman, second in 2020, exited the Golden State rotation and did not play in the Warriors’ three games before Monday’s 130-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Against Tottenham, Wiseman was -6 in eight minutes, finished with two points, two rebounds and three assists. The Warriors weren’t expecting much from Wiseman on Monday, as he picked up some rust over the past week, but he’s been struggling all season.
Of the Warriors playing 25 minutes this season, Weizmann’s offensive, defensive and net efficiencies — 99.7, 124.1 and -24.2 — all rank last on the team, according to ESPN Stats and Information Research.
“He needs actors. He needs play,” Kerr said. “It’s not easy when you don’t get minutes.”
Monday was only the 50th NBA game in Weizmann’s career during his first three years. He played 27 games during the junior season in 2020-21 before he was sidelined with a meniscus injury he sustained in April 2021. Multiple setbacks from that injury have kept him out for the entirety of last season, with the exception of three G League games in which he averaged. 17 points, nine rebounds and one pass.
During the summer league, Wiseman played four games and averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in less than 20 minutes per game.
The Warriors has a successful track record of sending players into the G League before they are called upon. Jordan Paulwho was against Spurs scoring 36 points in 13 of 20 shootings, including 5 of 10 of 3, is the latest example.
During Paul’s sophomore season in 2020-21, he spent 11 games with Santa Cruz, including a stint in the G-League bubble, averaging 22.4 points in 33.5 minutes. In his next season with the Warriors, Paul averaged 18.5 points per game and started instead of Klay Thompson Before Thompson returned from injury.
“I say [Wiseman] This is not a discount. “That’s not a punishment,” said Paul… I tell him to go out there and pick up 50 bullets, be aggressive, bring in the tech, stick to the edge, and do it all. Just so he could understand what he wanted to be at the highest level. This is just a step in that direction.”
The Santa Cruz Warriors play their next game on Sunday against the South Bay Lakers.