It hasn’t been a good 31 games for Golden State Warriors back up point guard Brad Wanamaker. He has struggled mightily and it’s come to the point where Jeremy Lin needs to get called up from the Santa Cruz Warriors.
His most recent blunder cost the Warriors a victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Wanamaker gained control of an offensive rebound and instead of dribbling time off the clock allowed for P.J. Washington and LaMelo Ball to tie him up.
The Warriors at that point were clinging to a two point lead. Needing to win the tip the Hornets were given an inexplicable timeout granted by referee Marc Davis as both Gordon Hayward and Draymond Green went after the basketball and there was no possession of the basketball as the two went to the floor. It was blatantly obvious that another jump ball needed to get called.
Obviously Green became incensed with Davis and was given a double technical. Terry Rozier then made both free throws to tie the game up. He also made the game winning jumper as time expired.
Yet for Golden State there isn’t any consolation when the NBA comes out with its report on the officiating in the final two minutes. Why? Cause as Rozier went to take the last shot he carried the basketball. Of course it got missed and Charlotte came away victorious.
As for Wanamaker besides not being able to keep possession of the basketball. He also missed layups and a free throw. He finished the game with 14 points on 5-15 shooting including, 2-6 from three. He also went 2-3 from the free throw line.
When added to his stats overall he’s shooting 34.8 percent from the field, 23.5 percent from three and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. He’s averaging only 4.8 points and 2.7 assists per game in 16.5 minutes per game.
One of the Warriors’ weaknesses is the lack of bench production and he definitely isn’t helping. It’s time for a change to that unit and it means calling up Lin and parting ways with Wanamaker.
Lin has played five games with Santa Cruz and though he did suffer a back injury he did play. He scored 27 points. Overall he’s averaging 19.6 points, 7.2 asssists, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals and is shooting 48.3 percent from the field, 48.4 percent from three and 88.2 percent from the field.
Even if Lin isn’t 100 percent he’s still a better option than Wanamaker is and the Warriors must make the move immediately.