James Wiseman has believers in the Pacers organization as he joins his third team after stops in Golden State and Detroit. Currently, however, he is dealing with a groin injury and is expected to be limited at the start of Indiana Pacers training camp according to his new head coach Rick Carlisle.
“He’s got a groin thing that happened a couple of weeks ago that we’re trying to help him work through,” Carlisle said of Wiseman. “That will go by relatively fast and then we just have to get him in and get him going.”
Carlisle still sees the potential in Wiseman as the team looked to find a third center for the roster with some upside.
“In my view, he’s a great young prospect still,” Carlisle said. “He’s still very young … we need to forget about where he was drafted, forget about things to may or may not happen or happened along the way. He’s had a great summer with our staff and his teammates. He’s a great kid … I think our fans are going to like him a lot.”
Carlisle seems to be keenly aware that he’s a project that needs to develop and needs time to learn how the Pacers do things. Wiseman joins fellow 2020 draft class members Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin as players that left their original teams and found long-term homes and success in Indiana—while replacing another lottery pick from the same class that resurrected his career in Jalen Smith, who signed with the Bulls this off-season.
“We got to simplify things system-wise for him because this is a new system,” Carlisle said. “Playing with Detroit last year, they didn’t play with the kind of tempo that we play at. We know that he can do it. With the departure of Jalen Smith, we needed to fill that depth center slot with someone with upside, hopefully youth, and room to grow.”
Pacers Vice President of Basketball Operations Ted Wu mentioned that the Pacers were limited in options financially to pursue a third center so were excited to fill that veteran minimum spot in the roster with someone as talented as Wiseman.
With so many extensions this off-season, the Pacers are just below the luxury tax line. That’s the limited resources being referred to by Pacers front office. While there’s no reason to go over that tax line for a third center, it’s valuable for the Pacers to use a veteran minimum contract slot on someone that could pay dividends in the future. Wiseman agreed to a 2-year deal with a team option for year two in what amounts to be a low-risk proposition worth a flyer to see if gold can be struck again with the 2020 lottery.
Myles Turner has already taken the young center under his wing and wants to see him find success in his career. Turner hosted both Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson in Dallas prior to the full team mini-camp at Pascal Siakam’s home in Orlando.
“I’ve always been a fan of James,” Turner said ad Media Day. “… James is someone who needs the opportunity. I fell like once he gets the opportunity he’s been looking for, he’s going to take it and run with it.”
Jackson came on strong during the playoffs last season as he overtook Jalen Smith and looks poised to have his first nightly, consistent role as the backup center since being drafted in the first round in 2021. Wiseman may not see the court often early.
“You look at our roster and you can make the case that there are 11 guys at least that should be playing,” Rick Carlisle said, “and that’s not likely to happen. I want to see which guys have the wherewithal, the character to just bring a spirit and an energy and a physicality every single day. Regardless of what’s happening moment by moment with minutes. We’ll see where the chips fall.”
And that 11 probably doesn’t include Wiseman as it currently stands and he’ll be further behind his competition if the groin injury keeps him limited for long. Carlisle did mention the importance of positional size and that’s a takeaway that everyone has about the former number two overall pick. He’s huge as a seven footer and the tallest player on the team.
“When you stand next to him, you won’t believe how big he is,” Carlisle said. “He’s huge and has great wingspan.”
Wiseman averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 17 minutes per game last season with Detroit.
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