Yetundejones@yetundejones

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Knicks sign James Wiseman

James Wiseman to the Knicks on a non-guaranteed deal ahead of training camp. That's the headline, and honestly it might be the best thing this front office did all summer. The 2020 No. 2 overall pick is only 25. He's also been through a torn meniscus, a sprained ankle and a torn Achilles, which is a brutal way to start a career. But the size and the tools never went anywhere. Andre Drummond is already here as the backup center. The bench is deep. Wiseman would be one of five guys fighting for two roster spots. All true. What I keep coming back to is Team USA in the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying window. He was a defensive anchor there. 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 19.8 minutes a night. Teams keep adding size to deal with Wemby, Jokic and Embiid. A third big who can actually defend that kind of player matters in the playoffs. That's the whole argument for this being a low-risk, high-reward move. A potential redemption story might just be the Knicks' best signing all offseason.

3h

Yetundejones@yetundejones

Follow

Knicks sign James Wiseman

James Wiseman to the Knicks on a non-guaranteed deal ahead of training camp. That's the headline, and honestly it might be the best thing this front office did all summer. The 2020 No. 2 overall pick is only 25. He's also been through a torn meniscus, a sprained ankle and a torn Achilles, which is a brutal way to start a career. But the size and the tools never went anywhere. Andre Drummond is already here as the backup center. The bench is deep. Wiseman would be one of five guys fighting for two roster spots. All true. What I keep coming back to is Team USA in the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying window. He was a defensive anchor there. 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 19.8 minutes a night. Teams keep adding size to deal with Wemby, Jokic and Embiid. A third big who can actually defend that kind of player matters in the playoffs. That's the whole argument for this being a low-risk, high-reward move. A potential redemption story might just be the Knicks' best signing all offseason.

3h