The Warriors’ 120-109 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena was the first time Golden State faced former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman since trading him last season.
After the game, Pistons coach Monty Williams shared his thoughts on Wiseman’s performance against his former team, citing the challenge of putting together quality minutes without a set rhythm.
“This is a tough game for him, against his old team, every time he finished there were three or four guys, definitely two guys, on the sidelines,” Williams said. “Maybe he had a kickout, he couldn’t finish a couple. It’s hard when you don’t have a rhythm. Even if you play eight minutes every night, you know you’re going to get those eight minutes. “He didn’t have a rhythm this year, so it’s a difficult way to play, especially against the old team.”
The former Warriors star has yet to find consistent playing time with his new team, posting just four points and five rebounds in a total of 17 minutes in two games this season.
Wiseman played 11 minutes against Golden State on Monday night, scored zero points and three rebounds and missed all three of his field goal attempts.
While Wiseman struggled to find his footing in a new city, the Warriors’ move to bring back Gary Payton II in the deal proved invaluable, as the latter re-established himself as a central cog in the rotation he had played during the NBA’s Golden State’s title race during the 2021-22 season.
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