Many Indiana Pacers fans have already given up on Jarace Walker. And, to be direct, it's not hard to see why.
The Houston alum showed flashes throughout his first two seasons in the league. This includes a 17-point performance against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 6, 2024, when he went 7-for-7 from the field and also recorded six rebounds, two steals, and a block. However, he never got consistent minutes, which many fans were upset about.
A big reason Walker never saw consistent playing time was because of the guys above him. It was always going to be tough for him to get regular minutes on a roster that also has Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, and Obi Toppin. However, even beyond that, Walker also had a ton of moments where he didn't look like an NBA player. He was inconsistent on both sides, made bad decisions, and often looked scared and hesitant.
Unfortunately for Walker and the Pacers, even though he's taking on a bigger role this year, that hasn't changed. He still looks scared and seemingly second-guesses his decisions often, he turns the ball over way too much to be trusted as a ball-handler (he has had three or more turnovers in six games already), and he is still struggling to use his physicality to his advantage.
Once again, the Pennsylvania native has shown flashes, but for the most part, he hasn't looked like a legitimate contributor in Indiana, leading many to wonder what his NBA future holds. Are the Pacers going to be patient with him and see it through, or are they just going to use him as a trade asset at the most?
Despite the discourse, he has started to turn things around in recent games. And while he may never live up to that pre-draft hype in 2023, Walker is proving that he can still maybe be a valuable role player for the Pacers (but probably nothing more).
Jarace Walker is playing some good basketball
In his last six games, Walker is averaging 11 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.7 turnovers. Additionally, he is shooting 46.8% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc during that stretch.
Perhaps most importantly, though, the 22-year-old looks much more comfortable on the court. He is not second-guessing as much, and he is finally beginning to look decisive and physical. This is something that fans have been wanting to see for a long time, and they are not the only ones happy to finally see it.
After the Pacers' loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 24, Siakam praised Walker, who recorded 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal, for his ability to slow the game down and finally look comfortable (h/t Tony East of Forbes).
"I thought today, he just looked comfortable... I just thought his process was really good. I told him after the game, I could count the number of dribbles he had. He kept the game simple," Siakam said about Walker.
It's easy to forget that Walker is the second-youngest player on the Pacers' roster (only ahead of Johnny Furphy), but it's the truth. He still has a ton of upside and room to grow. He just needs the time to iron things out.
Walker will probably never become a star in the NBA after seeing how poorly he played in an expanded role. However, he can still excel in a smaller capacity (with maybe the occasional spot start), and that's likely exactly what the Pacers are going to give him moving forward.