James Wiseman to sign with Indiana Pacers after Detroit Pistons let him walk
James Wiseman has reportedly signed with a new team, more than a year after being a trade deadline priority for the Detroit Pistons.
The Indiana Pacers agreed Tuesday with Wiseman to a two-year deal in NBA free agency, according to ESPN, which did not include any further contract information. The Pistons declined to extend the big man a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.
Wiseman, 23, arrived to the Pistons in February of 2023 in a four-team trade, after spending his first two-and-a-half seasons with the Golden State Warriors, who drafted him second overall in 2020. He was injured or out of the Warriors' rotation, losing nearly all of his asset value. He saw more opportunity with the Pistons, appearing in 24 games after the trade to finish the 2022-23 season, and played a career-high 63 games last season.
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Former general manager Troy Weaver viewed him as a high-upside swing, parting ways with his own 19th overall pick in 2020, Saddiq Bey, to acquire the 7-foot Wiseman. But Wiseman, whom Weaver had atop his 2020 draft board, was unable to separate himself from the pack, with Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and Marvin Bagley III playing significant minutes at center.
Now, a new Pistons regime, led by president Trajan Langdon, has moved on from Wiseman.
Wiseman averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, and will provide additional depth at center for a Pacers team fresh off of an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. They lost third big Jalen Smith in free agency to Chicago, but still have Myles Turner as the starter.
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: James Wiseman departs Detroit Pistons for Indiana Pacers
