Steph Curry wishes James Wiseman all the best as the young center restarts his career in Detroit with the Pistons.
Speaking with reporters Monday before the Warriors' matchup with the Washington Wizards at Chase Center, Curry shared his thoughts on the four-team trade that sent Wiseman to Detroit and Gary Payton II back to the Bay.
"We all love James, like that's the biggest thing," Curry said. "It's a guy you root for, it's a guy that you know will be able to figure it out, it's a guy that approaches each part of his job the right way, has a great attitude considering everything he's been through and the expectations around him and the conversations around him.
"A lot of confidence that he'll be around this league a long time. I don't know what his ceiling is, it's a guy I want to see figure it out and have an opportunity."
Curry recognizes that with Draymond Green, Kevon Looney and JaMychal Green all logging minutes at center, there just was not enough playing time to go around for Wiseman.
Couple that with the fact that the 21-year-old has not developed the way Warriors coach Steve Kerr and the rest of the coaching staff had hoped -- even after a lengthy G League stint -- made Wiseman the odd man out.
Since being selected No. 2 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Wiseman has dealt with injuries in his career, forcing him to miss the entirety of the 2021-22 NBA season. This season, Wiseman has played in only 21 games for the Warriors, averaging 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.5 minutes a game.
Golden State Warriors
Overall, Wiseman has played in 60 out of 210 possible career games, starting just 27 of them -- all of which came during the 2020-21 season.
With Wiseman heading to a rebuilding team that surely will give him the minutes he needs to get experience and develop, Curry can't wait to see the young center grow as an NBA player.
"So I'm happy, I'm excited for him and I hope he does some great things in this league," Curry concluded.
RELATED: Kerr was 'all-in' on Warriors drafting Wiseman in 2020
Despite rumors of a possible disconnect within the organization about the decision to draft Wiseman, Kerr said he was "all-in" on drafting the 7-foot center out of Memphis. Warriors president of basketball operations and general manager Bob Myers added that Golden State "heavily" debated among themselves on whether or not to trade Wiseman.
Now that the trade has been finalized and Wiseman is headed to Detroit, it remains to be seen what kind of career the youngster will have.
And Curry will be watching from afar, hoping to see Wiseman succeed and tap into the immense potential the Warriors once saw in him.