This offseason, the Indiana Pacers signed big man James Wiseman to a two-year, $4.8 million contract that includes a team option for the 2025-26 season. Wiseman initially joined the NBA after the Golden State Warriors drafted him second overall in 2020. However, to say his career has not panned out like he had hoped is an understatement.
The 23-year-old is already on his third team and has not looked good since joining the league. Four years into his NBA career, Wiseman is already considered one of the top draft busts of the decade so far. However, with the Pacers, Wiseman has an opportunity to rejuvenate his career and become an immediate contributor to the team.
While he is not a threat to take Myles Turner's spot in the lineup, there are still plenty of reasons to be excited about Wiseman's presence on the team.
James Wiseman is a low-risk, high-reward addition
For starters, the Tennessee native is on an incredibly cheap contract and is not even on a fully-guaranteed contract. And while he has not panned out as an NBA player so far, he joins a Pacers team that can bring out the best in him.
One thing Wiseman will always have is his size. Listed at 7'1", Wiseman provides incredible size on an otherwise undersized Pacers roster. Additionally, while he is no Wilt Chamberlain, Wiseman is a decent enough rebounder to provide a boost to the Pacers, who finished as a bottom-three team in rebounds per game last season.
Furthermore, Wiseman already has some fans in the Pacers organization. Most notably, Turner and head coach Rick Carlisle both spoke about what the big man brings to the table and why he could become a legitimate mainstay in the team's rotation.
Carlisle recently talked about Wiseman, saying he still considers him "a great young prospect." Additionally, he feels like Wiseman has a good head on his shoulders and is already leaving a good impression on the team.
"In my view, he's a great young prospect still," Carlisle said. "He's still very young, 23, 24, whatever it is. We need to forget about where he was drafted, forget about the things that may or may not have happened along the way. He's had a great summer with our staff and with his teammates. He's a great kid."
Additionally, Turner made it clear he has "always been a fan" of the Memphis alum and explained why he thinks he can help the Pacers immediately as they aim to make another deep playoff run.
"I've always been a fan of James," Turner said. "I feel like, for one, he passes the eye test. He's huge. He's all of 7-1. Very long, very athletic, he has all of the (tangibles). ... James is just someone who needs an opportunity. I feel like once he gets the opportunity that he's been looking for he's going to take it and run with it. He's someone I'm going to be around, I'm going to be in his ear."
At this stage in his career, Wiseman is a draft bust in every sense. However, this does not indicate he is useless on the court or that his career is over. The Pacers were in need of center depth this summer, especially after Jalen Smith's departure, and Wiseman is an incredibly intriguing addition.
In his final game with the Detroit Pistons last season, Wiseman had one of the best games of his career. Against the San Antonio Spurs, Wiseman recorded 21 points on 8-for-17 shooting, 17 rebounds, two steals, one assist, and one block in 40 minutes. It may just be an outlier, but this is the last time we saw Wiseman play in an actual NBA game, and it should not go unnoticed.
All things considered, Wiseman will likely never reach the levels in the league many expected him to in 2020. Nonetheless, the Pacers are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to maximizing players' skillsets. Additionally, the big man is a good fit for this fast-paced Pacers team.
He likely will never get his jersey number retired in Indiana or anything like that, but by all means, Pacers fans should be excited about the addition of Wiseman and what he could bring to the team.