Former Warriors No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman has found a new home.
The 7-foot center has agreed to a two-year free-agent contract with the Indiana Pacers, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday, citing sources.
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Wiseman spent the last season and some change with the Pistons after Golden State traded him to Detroit before the February 2023 NBA trade deadline as part of a four-team deal that also involved the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers.
In his rookie season with the Warriors, Wiseman averaged 11.5 points on 51.9-percent shooting from the field, with 5.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.9 blocks in 39 games (27 starts) before sustaining a torn meniscus in April and missing the remainder of the season. He underwent surgery to repair his knee but wound up missing the entire 2021-22 season to rehab.
Golden State was high on the big man, given the team selected him with its first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. But injuries and inconsistent play derailed Wiseman's true development for a team whose patience eventually ran out.
The Warriors parted ways with the 7-footer in the midst of the 2022-23 season, and in 87 games with Detroit, Wiseman averaged 8.6 points on 57.6-percent shooting from the field, with 6.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.7 blocks.
Golden State Warriors
Detroit was the worst team in the NBA last season, winning just 14 games.
Indiana not only is the fresh start Wiseman might need, but the team also is coming off a historic season in which it advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
Could Wiseman help the Pacers take that next step and present challenges for the Eastern Conference big dog and reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics? He and the Pacers certainly hope so.
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