This season has been a big disappointment for the Indiana Pacers, even under the circumstances of Tyrese Haliburton's injury and Myles Turner's departure. Regardless of the reasons (injuries, tanking, whatever else you think it may be), nobody expected Indiana to be as bad as it's been.
The team is currently 15-44 and owns the second-worst record in the NBA. Additionally, they have mostly looked like a mess in every area of the game all season. But at the very least, they can find comfort in the fact that Jarace Walker has finally taken the leap many were hoping he would. And given how important development was for the Pacers this year, in that sense, maybe it is a success after all.
Jarace Walker is officially here for the Pacers
It's been a rough start for Walker in Indiana in terms of both his career and this season specifically. He mostly rode the bench in each of his first two seasons and left a lot to be desired when he saw the court. Plus, he had a lot of bad moments to begin this season as well (including a six-turnover game while also shooting 4-for-14, a 0-for-10 shooting night, and a four-point, 1-for-8 shooting performance, just to name a few).
However, the Houston alum is finally turning things around, and he's finally becoming the player the team and fans were hoping he would be.
Since Christmas, Walker has averaged 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 45.6% from the field and 42.4% from deep. Additionally, he has looked way more comfortable and decisive on both sides of the ball, and his improvements haven't gone unnoticed.
Recently, Pascal Siakam spoke about the 22-year-old and the strides he's made.
"I think he's just been a lot better about just playing simple. He's a gifted passer. Sometimes you're going to have turnovers, but it's a learning curve. ... But also, shoot when you're open. ... Keep the game simple," Siakam said about Walker.
"But I just love the way he’s been playing. I can see it. He’s watching film, he’s getting better, and he’s serious about it. And I think that’s the most important thing, being serious about work and just knowing that every single day gotta matter. And I think that he’s doing that right now at a high level. ... But I think he’s playing well and I’m happy for him."
At this point, it seems like Walker's growth is real. It's a big enough sample size to believe his turnaround isn't just a fluke, and he continues to get better on a nightly basis. He is establishing himself as a long-term asset in Indiana, which is exactly what the team wanted to see.
This season was meant to be all about experimentation and internal growth for the Pacers. And it seems like nobody got the memo the way Walker has. He is playing incredibly well on the court, and there are reasons to believe the team can trust him when it looks to re-enter the title picture next season.
Though Indiana isn't winning a lot of games this season, it hasn't been a complete disaster. If nothing else, Walker has turned into the player many knew he could become. And that's important enough.