In his debut with the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, center James Wiseman tore his left Achilles, the team announced Thursday. On Thursday night, Wiseman had surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday.
Wiseman suffered the injury late in the first quarter of Indiana’s 115-109 win over the Detroit Pistons. After missing a 3-pointer and turning to get back on defense, he stopped as he’d been hit from behind. There was no contact.
Wiseman, who was selected No. 2 in the 2020 draft, will presumably miss the remainder of the season. ESPN reported that his return-to-play timeline “will be established in the coming weeks.”
At the Pacers’ shootaround at Madison Square Garden on Friday, star guard Tyrese Haliburton wore Wiseman’s practice jersey:
Wiseman, 23, signed a two-year minimum contract with Indiana in the offseason, but the second year is a team option and only $500,000 of his $2.2 million salary for the 2024-25 season is guaranteed if he is waived before Jan. 10.
In the opener, Wiseman was the first Pacer off the bench, as backup center Isaiah Jackson was out with a right groin strain. Jackson is listed as questionable for Friday’s game against the New York Knicks; if he has to miss more time, then Indiana will have to rely on smallball when starting center Myles Turner is on the bench: more center minutes for Obi Toppin, and potentially more opportunities for second-year forward Jarace Walker and rookie Enrique Freeman at the 4 spot.
