Seven months ago when the Warriors drafted James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, expectations and excitement were through the roof for the young center.
Now, after an up-and-down rookie season that saw the 20-year-old play in just 39 games and struggle to fit in alongside Steph Curry, many believe the Warriors should use Wiseman as part of a trade package to find more help for Curry as his prime enters its twilight.
However, the Warriors don't feel the same way. They still believe Wiseman has unlimited potential and that his unique skill set fits what next year's team needs.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"We're still really excited about him, really high on him," Warriors assistant general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. told 95.7 The Game's "Steiny, Guru and Dibs" on Tuesday. "Obviously, he won't be able to do as much stuff as we hoped he could with Summer League and individual workouts and things like, but when we draft James we knew about his long-term potential and that hasn't changed one bit. We are really excited for him.
"Now, it's just a matter of how do we fit him into the fold with our other veteran players that we have? You mentioned the needs that we need and we need a guy who can space the floor vertically. So to have a lob threat like James, that is exactly what we need. We're going to get that back and hopefully a lot more with him."
RELATED: How Warriors factor Steph's window into draft prep
Wiseman showed flashes during his inaugural NBA campaign, but injuries stunted his progress and his season ended early due to a meniscus injury.
Golden State Warriors
Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Wiseman only played in three collegiate games at Memphis and was thrust into NBA action just a month after being drafted due to the COVID-impacted schedule.
The young center still viewed his rookie season favorably but knows he has to improve to help the Warriors get where they want to go next season.
That starts with forming better chemistry with Curry and, most importantly, staying on the floor. If Wiseman can do those two things, he could be in line for a big sophomore leap.