Former No. 2 Overall Pick James Wiseman Will Become An Unrestricted Free Agent

Former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman is expected to leave the Detroit Pistons this summer as the franchise is expected to renounce rights on his expiring rookie contract. Wiseman will become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any NBA team that chooses to offer him a contract.

"The Pistons will soon renounce James Wiseman making him an unrestricted free agent. Instead of giving Wiseman a 1-year qualifying offer, Detroit prefers to clear more cap space. The former No. 2 overall pick will be an intriguing buy-low option on the veteran’s minimum market.."

Wiseman averaged 8.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in his one-and-a-half season with the Pistons. He was drafted with the No. 2 pick by the Golden State Warriors in 2020, but had injury issues in his first two seasons with the franchise, winning the 2022 title without playing a single game that season.

He was traded to the Pistons midway through the 2022-23 season in a four-team trade that landed the Warriors Gary Payton II. As a Piston, Wiseman has struggled to find a home ahead of big men such as Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley III.

Wiseman will likely be in the running for a veteran minimum contract, with his value really low after a disappointing sting on the tanking Pistons.

Which Teams Could Be Interested In Wiseman?

Wiseman is still just 23 years old, meaning there's a lot of potential that can still be unearthed. He will be an intriguing option among backup centers in the NBA, with cash-strapped veteran teams likely looking at Wiseman as a bench piece for the upcoming season.

The Lakers are known to be hunting for a backup big man this summer, with Jaxson Hayes playing in that role alongside Christian Wood last season. Wiseman would be a solid bet given his rebounding ability and scoring touch, though the franchise will have to hope he can live up to the flashes of great play we've seen from him.

The Celtics have been previously linked with Wiseman and could be in the market for a center after Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out for the start of next season. Luke Kornet and Al Horford won't be enough to run a center rotation until Porzingis returns, so Wiseman could be an option they consider on the minimum to fill minutes and potentially play his way into the rotation upon Porzingis' return.

An outside contender could be the New York Knicks, who might struggle with retaining Isaiah Hartenstein after acquiring Mikal Bridges and paying OG Anunoby $212.5 million over five seasons. If Hartenstein is leaving, the Knicks could look at Wiseman as a backup center option to keep their rotation shored up.

Younger teams like the Orlando Magic could take a look at Wiseman as a rotational piece, especially with the Magic needing someone to play behind Wendell Carter Jr. who's more consistent than Goga Bitadze. Wiseman could be a worthy gamble but with no guarantee for success.

It'll be interesting to see where Wiseman goes and if he can find a way to recover his stock in the NBA. A No. 2 pick who is grasping onto an NBA roster spot after four seasons is shocking to see, but it's the dilemma Wiseman finds himself in.

Related: Steve Kerr Explains Why James Wiseman Didn't Succeed With The Warriors

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