Kofi Inkoom
Free agent center James Wiseman, the second pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, has signed a two-year deal with the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Throughout his NBA career, Wiseman has played for the Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons. He has averaged 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game in 147 regular-season appearances.
Halfway through his third season in 2023, the big man was traded to Detroit. He has played for the Pistons for a season and a half, appearing in 63 games during the 2023/24 season, where he started in six games. He averaged 7.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 17.3 minutes per game.
Wiseman didn’t meet the “starter criteria” before entering free agency, which caused his qualifying offer to drop from $15.8 million to about $7.7 million. Despite this, the Pistons decided not to extend the qualifying offer, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent and sign with any team.
Wiseman is now joining the Pacers, who just made it to the Eastern Conference finals. He is expected to be a backup to Myles Turner and Isaiah Jackson, adding depth to Indiana’s center position after Jalen Smith left for Chicago.
Although Wojnarowski’s report doesn’t specify Wiseman’s salary, it’s likely to be a minimum deal due to the Pacers’ financial situation. They still have the mid-level and bi-annual exceptions available, but using these would put them over the luxury tax threshold and create a hard cap.