Jarace Walker's career with the Indiana Pacers up to this point has been an interesting one. He barely played in each of his first two seasons in the league and is now playing playoff minutes against the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers. There is a lot to like about Walker's potential, but one thing is becoming clear--the Pacers should cut him from the playoff rotation due to his playstyle on both sides of the ball.
Walker is an interesting player as it is clear he has improved in his second season with the Pacers, but probably not enough to justify giving him consistent playoff minutes, particularly against the Cavaliers. The second-year forward provides some value on both sides of the ball, especially on offense due to his shooting. However, for the rest of the series against Cleveland, the Pacers might be better off keeping him on the bench.
Jarace Walker does not add to one of Indiana's biggest offensive strengths
A lot has been said about the Pacers' elite offense, which is based on the team's energy and ball movement. However, Walker does not contribute much in this area. Walker has a lot of potential and can be valuable in certain situations, but as the Pacers look to pull off the upset against the Cavaliers, they need to rely on their strengths and advantages. With their ball movement being one of them, it makes sense for the Pacers to cut Walker out of the rotation, or at least just give him fewer minutes in this series.
Furthermore, Walker still leaves a lot to be desired on the defensive side of the ball. He is a big body and is physical, but he was a negative defensively when on the court against the Cavaliers, who finished the regular season as the best offensive team in the NBA.
This is not to say Walker does not deserve a spot on Indiana's roster. Heading into the season, there was some serious doubt about his future with the Pacers. Late in the regular season, however, Walker played well and showcased his potential. The Houston alum provides value and is capable of being a big contributor for the long run. However, he leaves too much to be desired on the court to justify playing him consistently against Cleveland.
As it stands, the Pacers may have to trim their rotation for the rest of the playoffs anyway. There are a few candidates who could get their minutes cut, including Walker. Ultimately, this may not even matter as it is important to note that the Pacers won Game 1 anyway. However, this still remains an intriguing narrative to follow the rest of the way.