Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft — 8. James Wiseman, New York Knicks
The Warriors reached on James Wiseman, and a combination of poor fit and injuries made his rookie season a hard one to digest. Even so, he had some impressive moments and remains a clear top-10 pick. The Knicks gamble on upside, and put Wiseman is a good position to succeed — as part of the Thibs culture machine.
Wiseman is a true 7-footer with excellent mobility getting up and down the floor. He can also block a lot of shots. He got lost on defense quite a bit last season, and the Warriors’ offense lacked the simplicity and spacing needed to maximize Wiseman at such a young age, but the Knicks probably won’t keep Mitchell Robinson forever. Wiseman is a better building block next to Julius Randle in the frontcourt.
For me, Wiseman was never the choice at No. 2, and the general direction of the league makes some players in different archetypes inherently more valuable. That said, he is a monster athlete who, before his injury last season, averaged 11.9 points and 5.8 boards. Wiseman is hard to peg, and could end up much lower than this, or much higher than this in a few years time. New York feels like the right spot.