1 Worst-case, 1 realistic, 1 dream player comparison for Pacers’ Jarace Walker
By Jack Simone
1 Worst-case, 1 realistic, 1 dream player comparison for Pacers’ Jarace Walker: Realistic comparison – Aaron Gordon
After spending the first part of his career wasting away on the Orlando Magic, Aaron Gordon finally found a perfect home on the Denver Nuggets, and he was a huge part of their championship run this past year.
Walker’s frame and athletic ability seem very comparable to Gordon’s, though he would have to improve a bit on the defensive end to reach the level of the Nuggets forward.
The Pacers rookie also has a bit more of an interior scoring game than Gordon, but at the NBA level, while playing next to Tyrese Haliburton, Walker could strive to be a bit more effective off the ball, too.
Gordon just wrapped up the best season of his career in Denver. In 68 appearances with the Nuggets, he averaged 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 56.4% from the field and 34.7% from distance.
Like Walker, Gordon isn’t the best three-point shooter, but he’s serviceable from range and makes up for his lack of a consistent jump shot with elite athleticism and off-ball timing.
Indiana was reportedly interested in trading for a defensive-minded forward this summer, but if Walker could turn into a Gordon-type player, that need would be filled.