James Wiseman Lands Knicks Camp Deal, But It's Non-Guaranteed
The former No. 2 pick joins the champs on a training camp contract after averaging just 9.0 points across five NBA seasons. Roster spot's far from safe.
Non-guaranteed deal and a spotty resume — nothing to roster yet.
- Signed non-guaranteed camp deal with Knicks
- Career: 9.0 pts, 5.5 reb over 152 games
- Just 5 games in past two seasons post-Achilles
- Former No. 2 overall pick (2020)
- Robinson left NYC for Boston this offseason
James Wiseman is getting a fresh start with the defending champs. The New York Knicks have handed the former No. 2 overall pick a non-guaranteed training camp contract, meaning he'll have to fight for one of the roster's remaining regular-season spots. No guaranteed money, no promises — just a shot.
The resume he brings isn't exactly loud. Wiseman has averaged 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds across 152 career games (56 starts) over five NBA seasons, and he appeared in a combined five games the past two years after tearing his left Achilles in the 2024-25 opener. That's a lot of tread lost for a 25-year-old still trying to prove the college hype was real.
The Memphis product torched the college level for 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in three games before the pros. Steve Kerr famously noted Golden State never really knew how raw Wiseman was because they only had those three games of tape to study. The athleticism flashed in the Bay — a 30-point outburst against Brooklyn stands out — but the reps averaged out to a modest 9.9 points and 5.0 boards.
Why the Knicks, Why Now
There's a real opening here, and it's not a mystery. Mitchell Robinson signed with the Boston Celtics this offseason, leaving New York thinner in the frontcourt. Robinson gave the Knicks 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 23.2 fantasy points per game across 60 appearances last season (2025-26, actual), so there's genuine center minutes up for grabs behind whoever they slot in as the starter.
That said, a camp invite is not a rotation role. Wiseman still has to make the team before anyone talks about touches, and non-guaranteed deals get cut all the time when the math doesn't work.
The Fantasy Take
For fantasy managers, this is a name to file away, not to grab. Wiseman isn't draftable in any standard format, and there's no path to relevance until he a) makes the roster and b) carves out real minutes — neither of which is close to settled. Keep him on the deep-league watchlist and revisit if he survives camp cuts and injuries open the door. Until then, leave him on the wire.
