Jarace Walker has developed into a legitimate asset to the Indiana Pacers this season after a slow start to his NBA career. Since Christmas, he is averaging 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.
The Houston alum is looking very good in every area of the game, but he still has his flaws. There shouldn't be any doubt anymore that he has real talent and should be a rotation player in the NBA for years to come, but the jury is still out on how high his ceiling is.
In a recent episode of the "Game Theory" podcast, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie spoke about Walker and opined that, while he is talented, he is also a "very flawed player."
"I do think he's at least an NBA player, is where I'm at after this run. I do think he's at least a rotation player. He's a very flawed player in a lot of ways, but a player that I think does derive value, and where you can see how the game is gonna grow for him moving forward in certain ways," Vecenie said.
Jarace Walker has some room to grow
Walker is providing value in a lot of different ways. He is becoming a much better decision-maker as someone who can either put the ball on the floor and create his own shot or dish it out to an open man. Additionally, he is finally using some of his physicality to his advantage defensively, is becoming a much more consistent scorer and rebounder, and is doing a fantastic job of driving to the rim.
But he still has his flaws that he needs to work out.
Vecenie mentions that Walker takes too long to get a shot off (likely because of his still-not-fast-enough decision-making), and co-host Bryce Simon put it best: "I don't know if he really guards."
Both of these are true. While the Pennsylvania native has gotten better as a decision-maker, it's still not quite where the Pacers want it to be. They rely very heavily on moving the ball around and running a fast-paced system, so having someone like Walker take a little more time than necessary with his decision-making could ruin their rhythm a bit (though this should be at least somewhat ironed out once Tyrese Haliburton returns anyway).
Additionally, while he is a tough defender who can body up with no problem, he's still far from a lockdown defender. In a playoff series, Walker probably can't be trusted against some of the top wings and forwards in the league, and that could be a concern as the Pacers aim to re-enter the title picture next season.
Walker's turnovers are also still a bit of a problem, though this goes hand-in-hand with his decision-making. He is a very skilled passer, but he often forces the ball through windows that just aren't there.
Since the start of February, the 22-year-old is turning the ball over 2.6 times per game. This includes five games of committing four or more turnovers.
For Walker to further establish himself as a legitimate contributor at the NBA level, he needs to improve in these areas of the game.
Jarace Walker still has a bright future in Indiana
Though he has his flaws, it sure seems like the pros outweigh the cons for Walker. He is incredibly talented and can do a bit of everything, and that's exactly why he is so important to the Pacers' long-term success.
Moving forward, Walker should be a big part of Indiana's future as the team looks to remind the basketball world how dominant it can be.