Warriors' James Wiseman to Undergo Surgery on Knee Injury Thursday

Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman will undergo right knee surgery on Thursday, coach Steve Kerr revealed on Wednesday (h/t Monte Poole of NBC Sports).

According to The Athletic's Anthony Slater, the timetable for Wiseman's return has yet to be determined as doctors won't know the severity of the tear until his surgery. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported earlier in the week that Wiseman is "feared" to be out for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old joined the Warriors as the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, which created sky-high expectations heading into his rookie campaign. While he flashed high-end potential at times, injuries and defensive struggles limited his initial impact.

"He's obviously had a lot of adversity this rookie season, with the wrist injury, now the knee injury and of course missing training camp, not having a summer league. He's really gutted through a lot of difficulty," head coach Steve Kerr said. "... And so this is yet another obstacle that's been put in front of him."

Wiseman missed over three weeks in early February with the wrist injury and then suffered the knee problem in mid-April on a hard fall.

He has averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds across 39 appearances during the 2020-21 season.

The Warriors figure to use more small-ball lineups without a traditional center while he's sidelined. Kevon Looney and Alen Smailagic are among the frontcourt options who could see some extra playing time when the squad is looking for some size.

Wiseman remains a crucial part of the Dubs' future and should see his role steadily expand in the coming years as he gets more comfortable at the NBA level.