Jarace Walker is finally turning into the player the Indiana Pacers knew he could be, and it's going to pay dividends for him and the team for the long haul.
After trading Bennedict Mathurin to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade, the Pacers needed another go-to bench option. And while he won't replicate Mathurin's skillset, Walker stepping up and fully showcasing his value will make the Canadian native's absence hurt a lot less, just for completely different reasons.
Since December 26, the Houston alum has averaged 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 45.6% from the field and 42.4% from deep across 28 games. Additionally, while it's a small sample size, he has averaged 11.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists (and 3.5 turnovers, to be fair) across his last four games.
Walker also looks way more confident and comfortable on both sides of the ball. He is providing a ton of value for the Pacers in every area of the game, and he is proving he can be a real asset to the team for years to come.
Jarace Walker is going to be a long-term contributor in Indiana
What makes Walker's breakout so encouraging is that he's helping in areas where the Pacers need it. He is finally playing physical, which was one of his biggest strengths entering the draft in 2023. Additionally, he is providing a lot of value on the boards (the Pacers' 42.6 rebounds per game rank as the sixth-worst in the league, according to NBA.com).
There was always a lot to like about Walker's game in theory. He can play and defend all five positions, and he can do a bit of everything in every area of the game. But the problem was that he never did all of it at a high level or consistently at the same time, and there were reasons to be concerned that his game might not translate to the NBA level.
Fortunately for him, the Pacers remained patient with him and allowed him to go through his growing pains. And that patience is paying off in a big way, and it should continue to do so moving forward.
Plus, it's sometimes easy to forget just how young the Pennsylvania native is. He turned 22 years old last September, and he's the youngest player on the Pacers' roster not named Johnny Furphy. The sky is the limit for Walker, and at this rate, he's going to be a big-time player for a long time.