DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons have been eliminated from the NBA playoffs, but one of their former players is four wins away from capturing the second championship of his young career.
I know you’re thinking, “How is this possible?” but thanks to the Indiana Pacers’ magical run, former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman has a shot at capturing another Larry O’Brien Trophy.
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Wiseman was expected to be the future coming out of Memphis as the Golden State Warriors selected him with the second pick of the 2020 draft ahead of LaMelo Ball and former teammate Tyrese Haliburton.
Since leaving the Warriors after two seasons, Wiseman was traded to the Pistons as part of a four-team trade that involved the Atlanta Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2023 season.
Pistons receive:
- James Wiseman
Warriors receive:
- Gary Payton II
- 2 future second-round picks (from Atlanta)
Hawks receive:
Trail Blazers receive:
- 5 future second-round picks
After two seasons with the Pistons, Detroit declined to offer Wiseman a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent during the 2024-25 season.
Wiseman, 23, appeared in 24 games with the Pistons during his first year and played a career-high 63 games last season.
The athletic big man averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds last season before playing in just one game for five minutes, scoring six points and grabbing one rebound while making his debut.
Wiseman made his Pacers debut vs. the Pistons during the season opener, where he tore his Achilles tendon inside Little Caesars Arena.
Wiseman was with Indiana until the trade deadline, when he, combined with cash considerations, was sent to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick.
Although he played only five minutes with the Pacers, he is still considered a contributing member of the franchise due to the league’s unwritten rule of celebrating all players who contributed to the team’s championship journey, as long as they participated.
The NBA Finals tip off Thursday, June 5, 2025, inside the Paycom Center as the Oklahoma City Thunder will play host to the Pacers at 8:30 p.m.
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