Pacers Sign James Wiseman: Why I Love This Move

 

Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski/USA Today Sports.

Ask and you shall receive. I wanted the Pacers to get James Wiseman since I saw it wasn’t working out with the Golden State Warriors. This is no slight on the players they drafted this year, but I like this move better than their draft.

To be fair, although he showed promise his rookie season, his time there was plagued with injuries, plus, he didn’t fit in Golden State’s scheme, so I understand why they moved on from him.

Going back to his rookie season, when healthy and when given an opportunity, he showed plenty of promise, he just needed time and more seasoning. He showed that he can score, he has an inside and outside game, he provides some rim protection, he handles the ball well, land he can run the floor, which seems to be expected of today's big man.

What I love about this move is that this potential is coming to a team that is known for drafting and developing talent, taking players who were between above average (such as Victor Oladipo, prior to his injury) or receiving marginal playing time (such as Jermaine O’Neal and Domantas Sabonis) and turning them into All-Stars or at least maximizing their abilities.

He's coming into a situation where bigger front court depth is needed--the Pacers have been getting handled on the boards for years.

He can spare Myles Turner around 20 minutes a night, which keeps Myles fresh, and saves them from running Turner into the ground, and he's bound to start some nights because unless Myles proves me wrong, it seems to be a given that he's going to miss time.

After the Warriors and Pistons moved on from Wiseman, of course, the “bust” birds have come out, but I don’t think he’s a bust. The talent is there, and in the right situation and with more opportunities, I think he can develop to be an impact player or better in the league.