Forward Draymond Green defended the Warriors’ young players, saying forward Jonathan Kuminga, guard Moses Moody and center James Wiseman aren’t in a difficult spot.
“One of the things I’ve spoken about with the young guys is the tough spot that they’re in,” Green said, via Ali Thanawalla of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Jonathan Kuminga is the seventh pick, Moses Moody is the 14th pick, James Wiseman is the second pick. Those guys are usually on teams that suck and they can do whatever they need to do to improve. That’s not their situation.
“They’re expected to contribute at a championship level in Year 1 last year and Year 2 this year, and Year 1 and a quarter for James Wiseman. Like, you’re expected to contribute at a championship level.”
Green continued to stress that young players on the Warriors aren’t given the opportunity of players on most other teams.
“The reality is, if you go find the rest of the guys around the league that are their age and you try to put them in that situation, all of the guys where we’re like ‘Ah, that guy’s doing great and he’s going to be this,'” Green told reporters. “The reason we feel like that is because they are on bad teams and they can grow through their mistakes.
“It’s not quite the same for those guys. And so, in the long run, it will be better for them, having played championship basketball and adjusting to everything they need to adjust to.”
- Wiseman, for his part, has kept a positive attitude since being demoted to the G League. “There’s urgency,” he said, via Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I just came back from a rehab. Really, I’m just trying to get back on the court and just get my rhythm again.”
- GM Bob Myers said he spoke with free agent center DeMarcus Cousins last month, after Cousins called to ask why he’s not been signed. “And I said, ‘You want that answer? … Because people are afraid of how you’re going to act,'” Myers said, via HoopsHype. “He’s like, ‘Why?’ and I said, ‘Well whatever the reason is, it’s here now.’ And I like DeMarcus. You guys may know him. He’s just, I can’t blame him for him because of all he’s been through.”
- Cousins, by the way, may be headed to the Taiwan pro league. We have that full story here.
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
