This is how it’s going to go down. Most likely, Wiseman will be ready to go for training camp in September as he recovers from his meniscus injury in his right knee. Although the Warriors organization has mentioned publicly that they will take their time with the young center’s return, not rushing him into anything, my educated guess is that he will be cleared for action in time for training camp. That is extremely important as he needs to get on the court with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green as soon as possible. That time spent with the Golden State core will be vital for his basketball development heading into his second year. He can’t miss those opportunities to get on the floor and get better. The caveat here is obviously that this is all pending his health.

In an interview with the Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Steve Kerr said he expects Wiseman to be ready for camp.

“He’s right on schedule for everything and, as of now, (the) medical team tells me he will be ready for camp,” Kerr said of Wiseman’s status back in July.

If Wiseman ends up having a set-back and misses most or all of training camp, then Kevon Looney would take charge of manning the center position. Last season, Looney finally seemed to look healthy and was moving well on the court. He finished the 2020-2021 campaign with averages of 4.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 2 APG in about 19 minutes per contest while providing a good presence on the defensive end.    

However, if all goes according to Golden State’s plan, Wiseman will be ready to go for training camp and ultimately the start of the regular season in October. From then on, it will be his starting spot as I expect a big jump in the seven-footer’s game. It’s no secret that the Warriors are all-in on Wiseman being their star center of the future. In order to get him to superstar status, he will need to be given the opportunity. His confidence will have a major impact on his development and overall game so the sooner he is given the reins, the better.

Why do I think that? Wiseman brings a more versatile look to this offense with his skill-set at that size. He really does it all. He’s a talented post player. James has a nice shooting stroke with the ability to expand his range. He can become a more consistent rebounder which I believe he will as time goes on. When he does get those boards, we’ve seen him put it on the deck, give out strong outlet passes, and run the floor well.

This offseason has been extremely important for the 20 year old. He’s not only worked on getting healthy but getting stronger in the gym. That was a concern for many fans after watching the rookie. This shouldn’t be a concern now. He will be far more comfortable on the low block and be more competitive with the big boys down there.

One player who has grown in that department that Steve Kerr has compared Wiseman to is Deandre Ayton. The former #1 pick has gotten better, bigger, and stronger each year in the league. You will see the same from James very soon.

During his rookie season in Golden State, Wiseman scored 11.5 PPG on 51.9% shooting from the field to go along with 5.8 RPG in 21.4 minutes per game. Wiseman registered three double-doubles during his first NBA season. Expect all those numbers to spike up as he transitions into the game-in and game-out starting center in the Bay.

Side note: One thing I would like the Warriors to do is sign a veteran big man presence that he can learn from and grow alongside with. With the fun of free agency winding down and the Warriors’ roster being mostly filled up, this doesn’t seem like a viable option anymore. I still would like Bob Myers somehow to make room for Paul Millsap. Not only would that be beneficial for the Dubs this season by adding more size and length off the bench but very helpful for Wiseman’s development throughout the campaign.

Follow Arden Cravalho on Twitter @a_cravalho.