Why the Knicks' James Wiseman Signing Is Such an Intriguing Move

Thirty years ago, the New York Knicks held the 18th pick in the draft. The player taken 17th was a center who, over his first four years in the NBA, never even averaged five points or rebounds a game.

By the end of his 18-year career, Jermaine O’Neal was a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection.

The Knicks may not hold the same expectations for James Wiseman, but if the 25-year-old center has ever been in a position to do the job he’s being paid to do, it’s now, with these Knicks.

Breaking down how James Wiseman fits with the Knicks

With Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond atop the depth chart, Wiseman is being given the chance to fill the role Ariel Hukporti played last year. That’s a far cry from Golden State centering their “two timelines” dream of eternal contention around Wiseman, drafting him second in the 2021 draft and dooming him to an unfair pressure. Nevertheless, there are reasons he continues to intrigue.

Wiseman is young and he’s tall. Literally no other Knick possesses those two qualities. Over his career he’s averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and 56% shooting per-36 minutes.

The Knicks aren’t asking him to start or to be the first big off the bench. They’re asking him to be healthy and available to very occasionally spell two centers who’ll combine for nearly 48 minutes a night. If you’re an optimist, Wiseman’s height, numbers and pedigree suggest he’s qualified for the job, if not over-qualified. But the glass is as empty as it is full.

In Wiseman’s case, “per-36” is doing a lot of heavy lifting, particularly given his relative lack of experience for someone taken in the same draft as Obi Toppin. Wiseman’s played just 63 minutes the past two seasons. Total.

For his career, he’s averaged 571 minutes a season, barely more than Hukporti’s total last year (498). I won't explain what defensive box plus-minus means, but being a net negative every single season is one concern. Although, Wiseman wasn’t drafted for his defense, and the Knicks likely didn’t sign him for that, either.

Wiseman was expected to be a dominant scorer and rebounder once he adjusted to the pros. However, the only category he’s ever finished top-20 in is turnovers (per game and per 100 possessions). He has 69 fewer career assists than turnovers.

Yet as always with Wiseman, the numbers only tell part of the story.

When James Wiseman put up 20 PTS (100% FG) & 10 REB in 23 MINS off the bench for the Pistons pic.twitter.com/iPq1z1lY1x https://t.co/CxuaaSOO2K
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 16, 2026

One reason for some of his struggles—and for the Knicks hopes for him, now that he's healthy—is injuries. Wiseman has never played enough to make a good impression because he’s never been healthy long enough to.

As a rookie, he started the Warriors’ first 16 games. Then he was benched for three weeks, played for three weeks, missed three games, started the next 10 (the last starts of his Golden State career), then tore his right meniscus, missing the final 19 games of the season. After a setback in rehab, he’d miss the entire 2021-22 campaign.

In December of 2022 he sprained his ankle, after which he was traded to Detroit, where he started the last 22 games of the 2022-23 season. Since then he’s yet to play more than 20 minutes in any game, thanks in part to tearing his left Achilles in the Pistons’ 2024-25 opener, costing him the entire season. His 2025-26 season ended before Christmas.

But there are reasons to hope Wiseman’s best years are still ahead of him. After earning $40 million on his four-year rookie deal, he’ll finish this season having earned a little over $4 million since.

For purposes of pride, if not material desire, it stands to reason Wiseman will be motivated more than many seventh-year vets. Just like John Konchar and Drew Eubanks, Wiseman’s deal is an Exhibit 9 contract, meaning it’s non-guaranteed but becomes a one-year veteran's minimum if he’s on the opening night roster. If he’s still there Jan. 10, 2027, the contract is fully guaranteed.

The Knicks aren’t asking Wiseman to be anything close to what Jermaine O’Neal turned out to be. But you don’t have to look back very far to see a number of current and quality big men needed four or five years to really make their mark in the league.

Would the Knicks settle for Wiseman becoming their Goga Bitadze? Paul Reed? Neemias Queta? Luke Garza? Those are all bench bigs. That’s all the Knicks need Wiseman to be.

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