Entering the 2024-25 NBA season, there were questions about the futures of a few Indiana Pacers players. More specifically, many wondered if Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker were long-term cornerstones for the Pacers or valuable trade assets.
According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, Mathurin will likely stay in Indiana for the foreseeable future as they have reportedly "refused overtures" for him and backup point guard T.J. McConnell. However, the jury is still out on Walker, who has struggled to regularly crack the rotation in his second season with the Pacers, though Scotto provided some insight that should interest fans.
Scotto reported that there is a legitimate chance the Pacers move on from one of Walker and Obi Toppin. Per Scotto, Walker is a potential trade candidate around the league, though he did not reveal any specific teams who could pursue a trade for him.
"With forwards Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker, Indiana’s eighth overall pick of the 2023 draft, stuck behind Pascal Siakam on the depth chart, there’s a belief that Indiana could eventually part with one of the two...Walker still has untapped potential in the eyes of executives around the league due to a lack of consistent playing time," Scotto wrote.
The Pacers could trade second-year forward Jarace Walker
There is no doubt that Walker possesses a lot of skills and tools that could be useful to Indiana. He is physical and has a lot of upside, especially on the defensive side of the ball. However, in parts of two seasons, his game has not translated to the NBA as much as the Pacers were hoping for.
So far, Walker has played all 21 games for the Pacers this season. In those games, he is averaging 5.6 points on 43% shooting, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.4 steals. Though he has shown some improvement in different areas of his game, the Houston alum still has a lot of work to do to become a mainstay in the Pacers' rotations.
As Scotto mentions, Walker is stuck on the depth chart behind Pascal Siakam, who is not in any danger of losing his starting spot anytime soon. Additionally, the Pacers have gotten some solid minutes from rookie forward Enrique Freeman, who Scotto says is a candidate to sign a standard contract with Indiana at some point.
Though there is a lot to like about Walker's game, it could be in the best interests of both sides if the Pacers trade him while he still has high value. He is unlikely to get a big opportunity with the Pacers as it currently stands, and the team could get other assets that can help them now and in the long run.
This season's trade deadline is still a few months away, and Walker should have some opportunities to prove his worth. However, according to Scotto's reports, it seems that he is fighting an uphill battle to stick around in Indiana.