The Golden State Warriors had a decision to make about James Wiseman at the 2023 NBA trade deadline. The Warriors had a young core of Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody, but their luxury tax bill for keeping Wiseman was too big to ignore. They needed successors to Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, but Wiseman was an asset they could move.
When John Hollinger wrote an article on The Athletic before the trade deadline, the Warriors were 28-26 and on the hook for a $130 million check to the league if their roster stayed the same. Hollinger wrote about their options for saving that money.
“As a result, even small bits of window dressing could save eye-popping amounts of money after accounting for the tax penalty and the Warriors’ repeater status. That, in turn, focuses attention on James Wiseman. He’s owed $9.6 million this year and $12.2 million next year, meaning that San Antonio, Detroit, Utah, or Indiana could trade for him without sending anything back. Such a transaction would save the Warriors about $51 million in salary and tax this year and an estimated $85 million in salary and tax next year; a total of $131 million in savings to dump a guy who rarely plays.”
The Warriors traded Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons in a four-team deal. The Warriors didn't know what kind of return they'd get for the former second-overall pick, who was a diminished asset. They may not have gotten the best value, but the return of Gary Payton II was a welcome sight for Warriors fans. They also received two second-round picks from the Atlanta Hawks in the deal. Payton played seven games with the Warriors in 2022-23 but played a bigger role in 12 postseason games.
James Wiseman's Warriors career
The Warriors drafted Wiseman with the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He debuted on December 22, 2020, recording 19 points, six rebounds, and two steals. He tore his meniscus at the end of the season, which sidelined him for the entire 2021-22 season. Wiseman returned on March 9, 2021, but the Warriors shut him down for the rest of the season after a setback in his rehab. He was with the team when they won an NBA Championship over the Boston Celtics.
Wiseman played 21 games for the Warriors in 2022-23, averaging just 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds. The Warriors began shopping Wiseman and sat him after he injured his ankle in a 3-on-3 scrimmage on December 30. The Pistons acquired Wiseman with the hope they could revitalize his career.
Where is Wiseman now?
Wiseman started 22 of 24 games for the Pistons after the trade. He averaged 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. It looked like the Pistons' gamble would pay off and he'd be a valuable piece of their frontcourt. However, his playing time diminished in 2023-24, averaging 17.3 minutes per game and starting six of 63 contests. The Wiseman experiment ended quickly for the Pistons, as they allowed him to explore free agency this offseason.
The Indiana Pacers were a team searching for some help in the frontcourt. They lost their backup center Jalen Smith in free agency, so there was a fit for Wiseman to get some playing time off the bench. They signed Wiseman to a two-year deal, where he'll look to build on his career-high 63 games from last season. Wiseman remains a work in progress, but the Pacers have the patience to wait.
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