Pacers Signing Former Lottery Pick to Bolster Front Court

Oct 10, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers center James Wiseman (13) shoots beside Cleveland Cavaliers forward JT Thor (15) in the fourth quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers are continuing to add to their frontcourt.

The Pacers are bringing back an old friend, center and former lottery pick, James Wiseman.

Wiseman is returning to the Pacers.

Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard shared the news.

James Wiseman is returning to the Indiana Pacers, per @PacersKev. https://t.co/5hjCFARsMK pic.twitter.com/kGr9pxagPX

— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) July 7, 2025

The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft signed with Indiana the previous summer.

His first stint in Indiana did not last long, as he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the season-opening game against the Detroit Pistons in October 2024.

Wiseman was ruled out for the entire season. Despite that being the case, the Pacers still dealt him prior to the trade deadline. The Pacers sent him to the Toronto Raptors alongside cash considerations in exchange for a 2026 top 55 protected second-round pick, but was waived shortly after.

The 24-year-old will now look for a longer and healthier stint with the Pacers. The Tennessee native has had a rough go in the NBA thus far. In four seasons, he has played for three teams, including the Golden State Warriors.

Wiseman was drafted by the Warriors in 2020, but for a variety of reasons, he did not pan out.

One of the many reasons was his durability; he suffered a torn meniscus in his rookie season and only played a total of 60 games in two-plus seasons in the Bay Area.

He missed the entire 2021-22 season for Golden State.

In his career, Wiseman averages 9.1 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.7 blocks while shooting 56 percent from the field in 148 games and 18.9 minutes of action.

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