With the Indiana Pacers firmly out of the running for a winning campaign, the team has largely shifted to a youth movement. Doing so has allowed the franchise to tab on relatively unknown commodities in search of impactful assets moving forward.
One player who has flourished with the given opportunity is undrafted rookie guard Duane Washington Jr. After starting the season on the G-League, he has been a fixture in the rotation since the calendar year flipped, serving as the Pacers’ resident gunner off the bench.
However, with Indiana suddenly boasting a loaded backcourt rotation, has the 21-year-old done enough to warrant inclusion into the Pacers’ future plans?
Undrafted rookie Duane Washington Jr. has been a great under-the-radar piece for the Indiana Pacers. Should they keep him as part of the core moving forward?
Primarily used as a microwave scorer off the bench, Washington Jr. can be really streaky. While he’s logged 9.4 points in just 19.9 minutes per game on 39.8 percent shooting overall, his niche as a three-point shooter cannot be denied. His 37.4 percent clip from downtown ranks third among all rookies, even ahead of teammate Chris Duarte.
However, some facets of his game clearly need some sharpening. He is quick on the ball, doesn’t get beat off the dribble much and is largely solid in one-on-one situations, but his off-ball defense is not his strong suit. Also, while listed as a point guard, he hasn’t really shown much on the playmaking department, though this could be the result of Rick Carlisle solely utilizing him as a spot-up shooter in a Patty Mills-esque role.
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Nevertheless, undrafted players who become tenable and immediate contributors in year one like Washington Jr. are incredibly hard to come by. While injuries have been the prime reason for his promotion in the backcourt pecking order, the Pacers would be very wise to keep him around.
However, finding court time ample enough to cater to his development may be tricky, considering how Indiana is currently constructed. For him to clinch consistent minutes in the rotation, at least two of three veteran cogs ahead of him in the rotation between Malcolm Brogdon, TJ McConnell, and Buddy Hield should be dealt in the offseason.
To end, the Indiana Pacers continue to be really good at reaching for unknown, yet quality contributors. Like Oshae Brissett and Terry Taylor, Duane Washington Jr. has already made his case to remain a viable component of the team moving forward in any capacity, though some roster overlaps may put a hamper on how quick he develops and warrants a more significant role.