Knicks camp addition James Wiseman finishes a dunk for Indiana
Knicks camp addition James Wiseman finishes a dunk for Indiana
The Knicks did not hand James Wiseman a guaranteed job. They gave him something that might be more useful right now: a clean chance to earn one.
New York signed Wiseman to an Exhibit 9 contract Tuesday. For a former No. 2 overall pick whose NBA path has gone sideways more than once, the deal puts a spotlight on training camp without pretending a roster spot already belongs to him.
Wiseman is still 25 and still has the physical package that got him drafted that high. He is 6-foot-11, he can get off the floor, and he has spent enough time around the league to know how quickly labels can stick when the production never settles in.
He appeared in four games for Indiana last season, averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.5 minutes. His bigger NBA sample is more encouraging: 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds over 152 career games. Those numbers do not make a case for hype, but they leave enough to evaluate.
Knicks camp addition James Wiseman blocks a shot for Indiana
James Wiseman blocks a shot against Houston. Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Why the Knicks made this call
New York is allowed to hunt for size without acting like every camp signing is a rescue plan. The Knicks signed a big athlete with real NBA experience to a deal that lets both sides see where he stands. It is a simple camp bet.
I do not read this as a declaration that Wiseman is about to solve the frontcourt. It reads more like a team that understands camp is the right place to test a player who once carried enormous expectations.
The appeal is easy enough to see. A healthy center who can finish above the rim, cover ground, and make a play around the basket can force a coach to keep watching. Wiseman still has to show the boring parts too: screening, rebounding, positioning, and being where the possession needs him to be.
The Knicks cannot confuse upside with a roster spot
That distinction matters. The league has been waiting for Wiseman’s tools to turn into a dependable role for years, and a September contract does not erase that history.
But it does give him a real window. Training camp can get weird when a player with name value arrives on a low-commitment deal, because every good practice and every missed rotation gets noticed.
The Knicks are not betting their season on Wiseman. They are making him prove whether the old promise is worth another look, which is exactly what this contract is for.