In a recent episode of the "Game Theory" podcast, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie said he thinks the Indiana Pacers' best path in the offseason would be for them to "trick a team" by trading for Jarace Walker, whom he is unsure of as a real contributor to the team.
"I wonder if [Walker] is a prime candidate for Indiana to try and trick a team this summer into thinking that he's a real value player and for them to go out and get somebody who can really add to their team next year when Tyrese [Haliburton] is back," Vecenie said.
"I think Jarace could go somewhere else and be successful for sure. I'm not sure that he has the 0.5 decision-making. I think it's getting better this year, the rapid, quick decision-making, and his passing is pretty decent, but there's still a long way to go here."
Jarace Walker belongs in Indiana
Vecenie is a great basketball mind who certainly knows what he's talking about, but it's also safe to say that he is vastly underrating Walker's growth and potential in Indiana.
Since Christmas, the Houston alum has averaged 13.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 46.5% from the field and 41.4% from deep in 37 games. This includes a fantastic game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 23, when he recorded 26 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals to help Indiana pull off the upset.
Walker has greatly improved in every area of the game since the start of the season. He also looks much more confident when he's on the court. He is putting the ball on the floor and driving to the basket a lot more, and he is beginning to use his physicality to his advantage defensively.
The 22-year-old is finally beginning to fulfill his potential, and the sky is the limit for what his future holds in Indiana.
It may seem fair to say that a big reason for his recent success is that he's just one of the lead guys on a bad team, but that didn't stop him from stinking up the place earlier this season. Walker's turnaround is legit, and he's proving that he can help the Pacers win in many different ways because of his scoring, rebounding, defense, ball-handling, passing, etc.
Should Walker be considered an untouchable for the Pacers? Of course not. If trading him allows them to get someone who would undoubtedly boost their championship odds next season, then so be it. But at this point, I'm willing to say that the Pennsylvania native is comfortably coming into his own and will provide value for years to come.