Short-Lived Raptors Stint for Ex-NBA 2nd Overall Pick Wiseman

Summary:

• The Toronto Raptors acquired James Wiseman and cash considerations from the Indiana Pacers as part of a minor deal.
• The Raptors immediately waived the player.
• The Pacers received a top-55 protected second-round pick as part of the exchange.

The Toronto Raptors have already bid goodbye to former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman shortly after acquiring him from the Indiana Pacers earlier in the day.

Over Before It Began

Toronto’s acquisition of Wiseman was part of a minor transaction in which they received the 23-year-old center along with cash considerations from Indiana in exchange for a top-55 protected second-round draft pick. 

Unfortunately for Wiseman, his time as a Raptor was over before it truly began, as the team promptly waived him following the deal.

Toronto Raptors reporter for TSN.ca and TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto Josh Lewenberg commented .

The Raptors have officially acquired James Wiseman and cash from the Pacers. They’ve also waived Wiseman, which leaves them with… cash.

The Raptors’ brief connection with Wiseman was part of a flurry of moves ahead of the trade deadline. 

In addition to acquiring and waiving Wiseman, Toronto completed a significant trade to land forward Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans early Thursday morning. 

They also made another deal, sending guard Davion Mitchell to the Miami Heat in exchange for veteran forward P.J. Tucker, a 2026 second-round pick, and cash considerations.

With the trade deadline activity shaking up the roster, Toronto continues to reshape its team, while Wiseman now finds himself searching for his next opportunity in the NBA.

Wiseman Dealt With Many Setbacks 

James Wiseman’s season had already been derailed before this move, as he suffered a torn Achilles in the Pacers’ very first game of the campaign, ruling him out for the entire year. 

The injury came after he spent the 2022-23 season with the Detroit Pistons, where he appeared in 63 games and posted averages of 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds while playing 17.3 minutes per contest.

This past summer, Wiseman signed a two-year deal with Indiana, which included a team option for the 2025-26 season. 

Nonetheless, considering his injury problems and the Pacers’ constantly changing roster priorities, he soon became expendable.

The native of Nashville, Tennessee, entered the NBA as the second-round selection in the 2020 draft, landing with the Golden State Warriors. 

He showed promise as a rookie, averaging 11.5 points per game, but injuries plagued his early career.

A torn meniscus sidelined him for the entire 2021-22 season. After he struggled to find a consistent role in Golden State, he was moved to Detroit in a four-team trade in February 2023.

Wiseman appeared in 148 total NBA games, averaging 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in just under 19 minutes per contest.