After being drafted eighth overall in 2023, Jarace Walker had relatively high expectations for his rookie year with the Indiana Pacers. However, he only appeared in 33 games and did not look NBA-ready. Ahead of his sophomore year, there was a bit more hope that Walker could develop and become a contributor in Indiana, especially after a major endorsement from Pascal Siakam. However, once again, he did not make much of an impact, though that is not entirely his fault.
During the regular season, Walker appeared in 75 games and started five of them, but he logged single-digit minutes in 24 of them. While he had an increased role, the Houston alum still did not have much of an opportunity to grow during his second season in Indiana, despite showing a lot of potential, particularly near the end of the season.
It is not too late for Walker to have a big role with the Pacers, but as it stands, the team is not putting him in a situation to be successful, and they will eventually regret that decision.
The Pacers will regret this Jarace Walker decision
Walker and the Pacers are in a bit of a situation given the rest of the depth chart since he is stuck behind Siakam and Obi Toppin. However, Walker provides a unique skill set that could make him a key contributor down the line. He possesses good size and is very physical, which would be huge against players like Giannis Antetokounmpo (who they are playing in the playoffs this year). Furthermore, he has solid defensive abilities and has improved as a shooter.
The Pennsylvania native has his flaws, and he is far from a perfect player. However, he is an intriguing prospect who has the tools to be a legitimate NBA player. For the Pacers, a fully developed Walker could address a lot of their needs and fix many of their problems, but he has not had many opportunities to grow due to his inconsistent playing time on the court. Fortunately for Walker and the Pacers, it seems like that could be changing for the better.
In his last 10 games, Walker averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 21.6 minutes. Additionally, he shot 53.2% from the field and 53.7% from beyond the arc. He heated up at the perfect time just before the start of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, and his career outlook in Indiana may be looking brighter. Hopefully for both sides, it is not too little, too late.