So, with all that said, can James Wiseman contribute right away for the Indiana Pacers?
I don’t think so. I think it will be a stark contrast from the losing culture in Detroit and constant lack of expectations to a bonafide playoff team and dark horse contender in Indiana that cannot afford major missteps in the upcoming seasons. If the season started today, I do not believe Wiseman would have a spot in the rotation, as there are at least 11 players who have a case to be ranked ahead of him, including two centers in Myles Turner and Isaiah Jackson.
Wiseman’s best bet this upcoming season is to fight with Jackson for the backup center spot with the winner ultimately becoming Indiana’s backup to Myles Turner for the future. After all, Wiseman is only a year older than Jackson and can feasibly take his spot if he plays well enough.
Given the progress he made in Detroit, there is a world where James Wiseman swoops in out of nowhere and becomes Indiana’s backup center for the future, allowing the team to be more flexible with Isaiah Jackson, even putting him in a potential trade package for a better player on the wings or in the backcourt.
This is a tall task at the moment, however. For now, James Wiseman needs a lot of work before he can waltz into Indiana and take a rotation spot. While he has shown progress, that was on a rebuilding team with one of the worst cultures in the league and constant losing.
If I were the Pacers, I would look to put him in the Summer League to get as many reps as possible before the season. Sure enough, Wiseman will probably spend some time in the G League going forward to hone his skills and remain active while gearing up for a potential rotation opening in the future.
The best-case scenario for Wiseman is simple. If he works hard enough, improves his game through stints in the G-League and short bursts in Pacers games, and stays healthy, he can strong-arm himself into the Pacers’ backup center role and use that as a lifeline to stay in the league.
We saw it before with Obi Toppin, where an athletic big man who was cast aside due to his low basketball IQ and lack of fundamentals polished his skills and thrived in Indiana’s high-energy system, grabbing hold of a roster spot and never letting go.
Toppin did exactly that, becoming one of the most efficient shooters in the league in the process, and was rewarded with a $60 million contract for the next four years. Wiseman has a similar opportunity. While he will not be given as long of a leash as Toppin, he does not have to contribute as quickly as Toppin did, since Indiana already has a backup center in Jackson and a third-string one in Oscar Tshiebwe. However, the opportunity will certainly present itself, and that is when he should pounce and use it to stay on the Pacers and in the league as a result.
There is a reason why this signing is considered low risk, high reward. Pacers fans must keep their expectations low for Wiseman and give him time to come along slowly. Results might not be seen right away, but if they are patient with him and let him develop, he can be Indiana’s new backup center for the future, saving his NBA career in the process.
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Publish date : 2024-07-04 10:04:10
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