Indiana Pacers' Center Aims to 'Keep It Simple'

After being selected second overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, James Wiseman's stints with the Golden State Warriors and Detroit Pistons have left a lot to be desired. In fact, if his career remains on the same trajectory, he will find himself near the top of the all-time draft bust lists.

The Indiana Pacers signed him to a two-year deal, although the team has an option for the second year, so if they let him walk next summer, his NBA career will likely be over. He knows that this is perhaps his last chance, and is looking to make the most of it.

In his preseason debut against the Atlanta Hawks, Wiseman got the starting nod but only played 16 minutes. He made the most of his playing time, making all four of his shots to score eight points and nabbed four rebounds. He did miss all three of his free throw attempts, so the outing was not perfect.

"In terms of myself, just being up to touch and just helping out the guys," he said are all things he wants to prioritize. "Just being able to keep it simple and just keep playing good basketball."

Wiseman knows that he is barely holding onto a roster spot, but he has all the physical tools to succeed at the highest level. He readily admitted that his conditioning could use some work, but he will come off the bench for the Pacers this season, so he isn't expected to play for long stretches.

For the Pacers, any progress in Wiseman's development is a positive.

"One of the things about James Wiseman being here is that the expectations aren't crazy," explained Rick Carlisle, being brutally honest.

Related: Pacers Following Green Tunnel Vision

In three NBA seasons, Wiseman has averaged 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds, although the vast majority of his success came with the lowly Pistons, so his ability to impact winning is yet to be seen.