Indiana Pacers: An early letter of apology to Chris Duarte

Heading into the 2021 NBA Draft, Indiana Pacers fans had lofty expectations for the team, especially with the Blue and Gold managing to secure a lottery pick for the first time in quite a while. Not only that, but the well-documented depth and all-around talent of the rookie class gave the franchise a lot of leeway in selecting a prospect who can surge into the team spotlight for years to come.

With the team’s proclivity and explicit demand to maximize their core and win in the present, a similar win-now selection makes sense. However, if higher upside is available, then going that route is typically the warmer choice for fans and pundits alike.

Unsurprisingly though, the Pacers brass doubled down on the present, selecting an NBA-ready rookie in Chris Duarte with the 13th overall pick. The 24-year-old from Oregon, a highly prized backcourt prospect, is tailor-made for contenders. However, with Indiana reeling after missing the playoffs, their choice was met with some shrugs from fans because of his perceived limited ceiling as an old rookie.

I’d be the first to admit that while I was a tad more congenial with the pick, I wasn’t convinced that he was the best player to pick given the Pacers’ placement in the league hierarchy. Still, I’d be pleased if I’m wrong, and based on the NBA Summer League, while not necessarily a resolute sample size, I should perhaps be handing in my apology.

Chris Duarte’s impressive chops in the Summer League is a sign of things to come next season

Naturally, Summer League stats are inflated in nature. However, these games are telling of what a player can bring to the table in any given role. In that sense, Chris Duarte has proven himself to be an exciting two-way, all-around player who can impact the game in a variety of ways.

Averaging an impressive 18.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game as of writing, the 6’6 guard has been as good as advertised, easily matching, if not surpassing, expectations for him right from the scouting report. His shot creation and three-point shooting have been spirited, but his maturity and headiness on where to pick his spots have been really impressive.

In fact, he’s shooting almost 46 percent from the floor and an astonishing 48.3 from three-point land. The latter is even more eye-popping considering the degree of difficulty of his three-point attempts, with many of his tries coming from transition pull-ups, sidesteps and step-backs, alongside the typical spot-up chance.

If you value even the minuscule details, keep in mind that he hasn’t missed a freebie yet. Oh, and he barely fouls, though he might want to cut down on his turnovers.

On another vista, if you judge Duarte solely with his defensive prowess even without his electric play on the offensive end, you’d be hard-pressed to not pay close attention. Part and parcel of what separates him from his peers, albeit younger peers, is his defensive awareness. Even in his limited time of action against motivated competition, he’s been superb on that end.

His Summer League norms of 2.5 steals and 1.8 blocks per game are incredibly rare for players of his stature. Most impressive is the fact that he doesn’t only rely on his physical gifts to be disruptive—he sends opponents into a state of panic by being one step ahead of the offense. For a rookie, this is splendid work, but what this proves is that age, more than anything, is more telling of a player’s experience instead of his relatively lower upside.

Indiana Pacers fans should be excited for Chris Duarte, who should be able to immediately jump into the fire next season

It’s safe to assume that Duarte’s SL stretch can’t be duplicated when the real deal begins, but that’s not because of his talent catapulting him back to his regressed averages. In his first pro season, he’ll be primarily banked on to be a sparkplug off the bench behind his more decorated and experienced teammates, but one thing’s for sure—the Oregon standout is ready to contribute to Indiana next season.

With Jeremy Lamb on the trade block, the path for him earning significant minutes right off the bat is clearer than many of his peers. While giving a heavy load to a rookie to get things done is usually a maneuver of cellar-dwellers, Duarte is a lot more experienced than what his rookie standing advertises.

For the many reasons above and on behalf of still-doubtful Indiana Pacers fans, I would like to extend an apology, Mr. Chris Duarte. Slay with the Blue and Gold next season and prove us all wrong—we’d all be happy not to be right this time.