The future of former Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman is now up in the air, having been waived by the Toronto Raptors on Thursday after the NBA's trade deadline.
Following stints with the Warriors and Detroit Pistons during his rookie contract, Wiseman signed with the Indiana Pacers on a two-year, $4.8 million contract in free agency hoping to rejuvenate his career.
Unfortunately for the 23-year-old, he never even got an opportunity at his new home after suffering a devastating torn achilles less than five minutes into his debut against the Pistons in October.
Former Warriors center James Wiseman is now looking his next NBA opportunity
Wiseman was traded to the Raptors in the final hours before the trade deadline, with Toronto sending Indiana a top 55 protected second-round pick in what was essentially a salary dump to open up an extra roster spot.
The former second overall pick was waived by the Raptors shortly after, meaning he's without an NBA team as he continues a recovery that will have him out for the entire season. Wiseman's second-year of his contract was a team option, leaving the opportunity for this sequence to take place.
Wiseman was originally seen as the next big white hope for Golden State, having been taken in between Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball at number two in the 2020 NBA Draft. He started his very first NBA game and showed some positive signs in his rookie season, averaging what remains as a career-high 11.5 points on 51.9% shooting from the floor.
Unfortunately any momentum was lost with a late-season knee injury that then forced Wiseman out of his entire second season, though he did lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy at the end of that year after the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
Wiseman would go onto play just 21 more games for the franchise in his third season, before being traded at the 2023 deadline in a deal that saw the Warriors reacquire defensive-minded guard Gary Payton II.
The seven-foot center will now have to wait till the offseason to see if there's a market for him in free agency. Ironically Golden State could actually do with an athletic big man on their roster, though you'd have to consider it unlikely they look at a reunion with Wiseman heading into his sixth year.
Still, Warrior fans will hoping Wiseman gets fit, healthy and earns another NBA opportunity that helps him revitalize his career before it's really too late.