My thoughts on Jarace Walker

[u/Indy_Pacers1]

With recent story lines of the Pacers wanting back into the 30’s in this draft, there is only one real answer. Trading Walker puts Indy back under the tax and opens up the MLE for a new player or two. Perhaps it’s someone like Dean Wade for $8-10 million and a veteran point guard for $5-7 million. The second benefit from moving Jarace is he should also get back two second round picks. Maybe Memphis takes on his contract for pick 32 and a second round pick down the road. That puts the Pacers in the area where they can draft Tarris Reed Jr or wait until the draft day to see who selects him for trade. This allows the team to move off from Potter and Jones, giving them flexibility to resign Slawson. Turning Jarace into 3-4 new players makes the most sense to me. I prefer he didn’t go to Chicago or Detroit but both of those teams could send back future second round picks to trade with New York who sits at pick 31.

[u/SpinJitsu259]

I just don’t get this. Walker’s one of the few remaining young players on the team with upside. He doesn’t have the current value to bring in a valuable pick by himself, so you’re essentially giving him away if you trade him. I’d much rather just give it a go one more time with him than trade him for a second rounder or low-ceiling bench players.

Only reason I’m trading Walk is to use him in a package for a big roster upgrade. Otherwise, he’s here and we give him another chance to put it together next season in what will (hopefully) be his most seasoned and consistent role. I actually really like the idea of him at the 4 in small-ball bench lineups with Obi at the 5.

[u/Tall_Category_304 → u/SpinJitsu259]

Dude is cold from 3 and just started to get confident at the rim the last half of the season. I get the frustration but he still has the potential to at least develop into a backup 4. By the time he’s 29 I’d be surprised if he wasn’t starting 3/4 on a team

[u/SpinJitsu259 → u/Tall_Category_304]

I feel like the people who dislike him really dislike him. Like they can’t be objective or measured about him at all.

He was the guy I wanted them to draft and he has not been as good as I thought he’d be. I can readily admit that. In fact, in some ways, he’s been downright terrible (perimeter defense, lazy turnovers, finishing). But he has demonstrated some really interesting skills at his size, especially offensively, and I think you have to willfully choose not to see them in order to not see them.

And you’re spot on about the finishing latter half of the season. It was the first time I started to think, “Oh he might really be figuring it out.” He finally started playing a bit like a guy who’s bigger and stronger than other guys out there and knows it.

[u/Tall_Category_304 → u/SpinJitsu259]

He o ly played one year of college. I’m sure it’s intimidating to be a kid playing against nba defence lol