NBA Notes: Knicks, James Wiseman, Heat, Mavericks, Willie Green

Knicks

The Knicks are not asking James Wiseman to justify being the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. They are asking him to stay healthy, rebound and occasionally give Karl-Anthony Towns or Andre Drummond a breather.

That distinction is what makes the signing interesting. Wiseman joined New York on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract and will compete for an opening-night roster spot. His career numbers per 36 minutes, 17 points and 10 rebounds on 56 percent shooting, remain intriguing. The problem is the part where he actually has to remain on the floor.

Wiseman has played just 63 total minutes across the past two seasons after enduring knee, Achilles and other injury problems. He has appeared in only 152 regular-season games since Golden State drafted him.

Still, this is precisely the type of gamble training camp contracts are designed to accommodate. The Knicks aren’t building around Wiseman. They’re asking whether a healthy 7-footer with obvious physical talent can become their third center.

As Matthew Miranda of NBA on SI noted, New York would gladly settle for Wiseman developing into a useful reserve along the lines of Goga Bitadze, Neemias Queta or Luka Garza.

Nobody needs Jermaine O’Neal. Competent would work just fine.

Heat

The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, added Klay Thompson, Bobby Portis and Tim Hardaway Jr., and retained Bam Adebayo.

So yes, expectations have changed. The question raised by Heat on SI is how far Miami must advance for its season to qualify as a success. The answers ranged from winning one playoff series to reaching the Eastern Conference finals to winning the championship.

The reasonable answer probably sits somewhere between patience and reality.

Miami made a franchise-changing trade, but Antetokounmpo is entering his first season with a new roster. Thompson is no longer the player he was during Golden State’s championship years, and the Heat may still need another high-level ballhandler.

Still, nobody trades for Giannis to celebrate a second-round appearance.

Miami doesn’t necessarily need to win the championship immediately. It does need to look like a team capable of doing so. An Eastern Conference finals appearance would establish that. A quick postseason exit would leave Pat Riley searching for another move before Year 2.

Mavericks

The Mavericks have officially announced Dusty May’s first NBA coaching staff, and nearly everything around him will be new.

Former Pelicans coach Willie Green will serve as May’s lead assistant, giving Dallas an experienced former head coach beside someone making the jump from college basketball.

Joe Boylan, Drew Williamson, Mody Maor, Rob Fodor, Sam Hershberger and recently retired NBA veteran Garrett Temple will also serve as assistants. Williamson and Maor previously worked with May at Michigan, while Fodor spent two decades in the Heat organization.

Tyson Chandler and Quincy Acy will remain in player-development roles. May’s son, Jack, joins the organization as a video coordinator after working as a video intern with Miami. The Mavericks announced the complete staff Wednesday.

May is new to the NBA. His staff is not entirely new to him, and Green gives him someone who already knows what the head coach’s chair feels like when things get uncomfortable.

That seems like a useful person to have nearby in Dallas.