The Pacers are trading James Wiseman and cash to the Raptors, according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Wiseman is currently out for the season due to a torn Achilles after signing a two-year, minimum-salary deal last offseason.
In return, the Pacers are getting a top-55 protected second-round pick from the Raptors, according to IndyStar’s Dustin Dopirak (Twitter links). That pick is for the 2026 draft.
The former No. 2 overall pick only appeared in one game this season due to his injury. Prior to that he had stints with the Warriors (where he was drafted in 2020) and Pistons. In 148 career games (55 starts) he holds averages of 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds.
Wiseman has a team option worth $2.5MM for next season. If the Raptors opt to exercise that option, they could take a flier on a former highly rated recruit who is still only 23 years old and matches up with Toronto’s timeline. They could also turn down the option in favor of extra flexibility.
Toronto will have a full 15-man roster after the move, if no other changes to reported deals involving Brandon Ingram or P.J. Tucker occur.
As for the Pacers, they gain a bit more of a cushion under the luxury tax and open up a roster spot, which could help them be players on the buyout market. Specifically, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (Twitter link), the Pacers will move from being $147K below the tax to about $2.3MM below it.
Raptors were down to 14 players after the Ingram. They don’t need to waive Robinson to make this deal.
Still don’t get why they do this without getting an asset to do it though.
An asset to take 2.5 million?
Wiseman sucks. What is the point of acquiring him at all?
Plus this helps Indiana get far enough away from the tax line to sign someone on the buyout market without going over. Dumb move by Toronto.
You give an asset when you have a bad contract attached… Give me one example where a team gave an asset for a guy making 2.5 and no guaranteed money after that?
Don’t know the cash details yet, but would guess that the cash the Raptors is getting from Indiana will exceed what they have to pay Wiseman for the rest of the season. So, free money is probably the asset.
Don’t get this for raps at all!
Are you ok man? You were mad we dealt one of the worst players in the NBA (Mitchell) for a 2nd and now taking a stab at a young big man for a protected 2nd causes same reaction?
Former first round pick lots of upside still young only 2.5 mil next year. Doesn’t seem bad at all
Wiseman doesn’t have upside he is not good
He’s 23, dude. He’s also been sidetracked by injuries. Maybe he’s not good. Maybe he is. It’s still way too early to tell.
23 and he has averages of 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in his career. The rockets currently have Jock Landale on their roster who I guarantee doesn’t have those kind of numbers.
Bigs who are young and still have potential get lots of opportunities
Too early to tell with this kid…
But his career to date is Greg Oden esque…
If he gets healthy there’s always a chance he could become a decent player… Far too young to give up on…
Wiseman has not proven he belongs in the league. Tough luck with the injuries. My bet is that Toronto waives him if they don’t see him as a backup for Poetl next season. If that happens, he may not get another solid chance, just 10-days and training camp invites and G-League rosters. He should go for the Euroleague.
There are a lot of good reasons to head to Europe over the next 4 years…
Getting paid to play a game there ain’t that bad of a thing…