Pacers trade former No. 2 overall pick to Raptors

The Pacers are trading James Wiseman and cash to the Raptors, according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania. 

Wiseman is currently out for the season due to a torn Achilles after signing a minimum deal this offseason. In return, the Pacers are getting a top-55 protected pick from the Raptors, according to IndyStar’s Dustin Dopirak.

The former No. 2 overall pick only appeared in one game this season due to the injury. Prior to that he had stints with the Warriors (where he was drafted in 2020) and with the Pistons. In 148 career games (55 starts) he holds averages of 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds.

Wiseman has a team option worth $2.5M for next season. If the Raptors opt to pick up 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 decline the option and take more 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, the Pacers will move from being $147K below the tax to about $2.3M below it.