I agree with your sentiment. But they might as well use the sets they built and see if Pike has legs.
Star Trek: The Early Voyages, speaking of wishes, should recapture the spirit of early Star Trek (before Menagerie). No long arcs, serialized, or recurrences. It should feel strange, standalone, with longer edits and no blunt music.
The character of Pike is headed for burnout. Spock is emotional and has to earn a bond with Pike. Number One should build a case for why she should be on the bridge, and I would like a new element. An alien on-par with Doug Jones as a Kelpian and Leonard Nimoy's designs on Vulcans. Someone like Odo or Data. We know Spock, at least a version of him, but I want someone who is new, and engaging. Someone never seen before.
Perhaps a character that pushes the limits of exploration, is brash and unafraid, but ultimately dies by not adhering to the rules. Give him qualities that Spock would see in Kirk, and think he might be headed to the same fate. A psychological wrinkle to counter Burnham's call to respect differences and find friendship. So, the conflict in Spock is seeing these two realities and, from week to week, this is playing out in Spock, in TOS. He may even befriend him in the way Burnham suggests, but Spock is burned by his own conduct influenced by this character, and by eventually losing him.
Hey, Burnham and Uhura are practically twins. Why not an early Kirk, psychologically?
As for themes? Keep it exploration.