Jarace Walker has shown flashes in each of his first two seasons with the Indiana Pacers, but he has generally been disappointing for a lottery pick. However, he now has a big opportunity to get more run and have a shot to break out once and for all next season.
The Pennsylvania native has looked good at different times when he steps onto the court. He has shown legitimate value and potential on both sides of the ball, and he has proven that he can be a long-term asset for the Pacers. However, he has also had numerous moments throughout his tenure with the team so far where he has looked lost and was a negative on the court. One of Walker's biggest problems so far has been his inconsistency, which can be attributed to his lack of consistent playing time. As it stands, however, this should change next year.
With Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf for a whole season and Myles Turner gone, the Pacers are expected to be in for a gap year. While this is not good, they can still use this as an opportunity to experiment a bit and try different players out. This includes Walker, who will have his best opportunity to showcase exactly what he brings to the table.
Jarace Walker can provide long-term value in Indiana
Walker is far from a perfect player. If he were that, he would get significantly more playing time. Even so, there is a lot to like about him as a prospect and the skills he has.
The Houston alum has the tools to be very physical, even at the NBA level. This bodes well for him in every level of the game, especially given that the Pacers do not necessarily have anybody who can say the same thing. There are still some questions about what his main position in the league will be, but given that he has the physical tools as he does, it may ultimately not matter too much.
Throughout his first two seasons in the league, Walker has shown a lot of improvement on both sides of the ball. He has improved as a perimeter shooter and can be an offensive weapon for Indiana. On the other side, his defense, while still a little inconsistent, has proven to be impactful at times. Once he figures it out and puts it all together, Walker should be able to be a big-time contributor for the Pacers for a long time.
It is also important to remember that Walker is still just 21 years old. The sky is the limit for him, and he still has a lot of time and room to grow. He has looked solid at different times, but he has never gotten a legitimate opportunity. Luckily for him, however, that will most likely not be the case next season, and that is something that should excite Pacers fans.