Jarace Walker still has a lot of potential and can be a long-term contributor for the Indiana Pacers, but this may be his last chance to showcase what he brings to the table.
Despite being selected eighth overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, Walker's NBA career has been a bit disappointing so far. He only averaged 10.3 minutes in 33 games during his rookie season and rarely looked comfortable. The Houston alum was much better last season, but he is still leaving a lot to be desired on the court. Still, there is a lot to like about his game, and it is clear that he can make an impact in Indiana.
Whether Walker's disappointing career so far is due to him or his lack of consistent playing time is a fair debate. Regardless, he should have enough opportunities next season to take advantage of and become a consistent contributor.
Jarace Walker should take on a bigger role next season
With Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf and Myles Turner gone, the expectation is that the Pacers will be in for a gap year next season. They will have a lot of questions to answer throughout the season pertaining to their roster and lineups, and another deep playoff run will be incredibly difficult for them to go on. Even so, they have a good opportunity to experiment a bit and showcase some of their younger talent, which includes Walker.
The 21-year-old will likely have an expanded role with the Pacers next season, which is great news for him. With the team expected to experiment with their lineups, it will be interesting to see how they utilize Walker. Not only can he play both forward positions, but he is capable of playing small-ball center, and general manager Chad Buchanan already floated around the idea of him potentially being their starting shooting guard next season.
One of the biggest problems Walker deals with is that he is inconsistent on both sides of the ball. Sometimes, he looks like a legitimate force on defense while also knocking down his shots on the other side of the floor. However, he also has moments where he looks lost and is a negative on the court. With a bigger role, he should be able to work through this.
Walker has a lot of potential and would provide a lot of help to some of the Pacers' biggest areas of concern. He has shown value in every aspect of the game and can wreak havoc due to his physical tools. However, he still has a long way to go, and with next season expected to be the biggest test of his career so far, it could be make-or-break for his stint with the Pacers.