Post draft thoughts

[JMaster5K]

I liked Hendricks better than Walker and I've grown to be a skeptic of Pacers drafting competence. 2017-2021 was just plain bad on so many levels. Moving to 2022 I'm less sold on Mathurin than most here. Second half of last season he was the anti-3 and D guy. Bad defender and bad shooter. I'm willing to drink the "he wants to get better and is so coachable" cool aide for now and Nembhard was a solid get at 31. Overall last year's draft bought back a little credibility.

I don't buy the Walker comparisons with Hansborugh. Tyler was an old player with non-existent feel for the game. The guys I hoped for at pick 26 Whitehead, Murray and Prosper were all gone so maybe at that point Shepherd just being an NBA player will look like the best we could do? TJD? I'm not sold. Good chance he would be another under-sized 5. If we don't need more 2/3's we sure as hell don't need another small backup center.

Yeah,... I'm not as skeptical of the Pacers competence as you,.. I keep having to check myself,.. as in 'they can't draft what isn't there'. I think they've done a good job with the cards they were dealt, but they also haven't really taken any chances that could actually move the needle?

After Caitlin Coopers piece on the comparison between Hendricks and Walker (don't know if we are allowed to link that kind of stuff here, but it's still easily findable with a web search), I'm not really sold that either of them are, or will be, without a LOT of work, a player that fits the Pacers. IMO, Hendricks fills a more immediate need / role as the (over-used) '3 & D' guy at the 4. Unfortunately, he doesn't really rebound well, and doesn't seem to have any offensive feel that would make him part of the scheme (other than a catch & shoot release valve).

Walker probably has the higher upside, if you bet on his shooting coming around. His feel on offense is already very good, he plays good defense, but plays more like a 5 that doesn't like contact (a finesse player instead of a power player) at 240#. He has taken some advice that it was rumored he received at the combine & started to really work on his fitness. He tested on par with the most athletic forwards at the combine with noticeably more body fat, weighed in at 248, but at the Pacers individual workout was already down 'well under' 240 & noticeably more cut. He reportedly was even more explosive & fast twitch at the private workout as a result.

The Walker comp that keeps coming to me & making me question the pick is Wayman Tisdale,.. another 4 that was such a nice guy both on and off the court that he never had that 'Jimmy Butler like' edge. He played as an undersized finesse 4 in a power body without an outside shot. Game has changed since then, but I just keep hoping that Walker gets that (within the team offense & defense), 'I can put this team on my back & carry it, when the others are struggling' mind-set. Just don't really believe that very likely at this point?... but I would be REALLY happy to be wrong.

=}

[8305]

I liked Hendricks better than Walker and I've grown to be a skeptic of Pacers drafting competence. 2017-2021 was just plain bad on so many levels. Moving to 2022 I'm less sold on Mathurin than most here. Second half of last season he was the anti-3 and D guy. Bad defender and bad shooter. I'm willing to drink the "he wants to get better and is so coachable" cool aide for now and Nembhard was a solid get at 31. Overall last year's draft bought back a little credibility.

I don't buy the Walker comparisons with Hansborugh. Tyler was an old player with non-existent feel for the game. The guys I hoped for at pick 26 Whitehead, Murray and Prosper were all gone so maybe at that point Shepherd just being an NBA player will look like the best we could do? TJD? I'm not sold. Good chance he would be another under-sized 5. If we don't need more 2/3's we sure as hell don't need another small backup center.

The Walker comp that keeps coming to me & making me question the pick is Wayman Tisdale,.. another 4 that was such a nice guy both on and off the court that he never had that 'Jimmy Butler like' edge. He played as an undersized finesse 4 in a power body without an outside shot. Game has changed since then, but I just keep hoping that Walker gets that (within the team offense & defense), 'I can put this team on my back & carry it, when the others are struggling' mind-set. Just don't really believe that very likely at this point?... but I would be REALLY happy to be wrong.

=}

Not too worried about a Tisdale outcome. Wayman lacked feel for the game and really didn’t know how to do anything on the floor other than post up. He was bad on defense too. I will really be surprised if Walker isn’t at least a solid roll player. Also the weight loss and improvement as an athlete is pretty interesting. Move that way and maybe we are talking Draymond Green comp?

[Scoot McGroot]

After Caitlin Coopers piece on the comparison between Hendricks and Walker (don't know if we are allowed to link that kind of stuff here, but it's still easily findable with a web search),
=}

Caitlin Cooper is ALWAYS ALLOWED here and encouraged. All that’s asked is to not copy and paste the entire article, but at most 1-2 paragraphs or a quote that stands out.

We stan Caitlin Cooper here and want her to get all the clicks and subscriptions she can. She’s amongst the best writers and analytical minds in the league, and we’re lucky to have her writing here for Indy. Y’all should subscribe.

[Wizop]

Caitlin Cooper is ALWAYS ALLOWED here and encouraged. All that’s asked is to not copy and paste the entire article, but at most 1-2 paragraphs or a quote that stands out.

I'd urge a bit more caution. when she was with IndyCornRows, her articles were available to everyone and copying them only required a proper citation to the source. now that she's on a subscription service though, I don't think we should quote (as opposed to paraphrase) material from behind the paywall. I'd say the same for Scott Agness and Coach Spins.

Of course, not everything they write is subscribers only. Quoting their public material and urging readers who want more to support the author with a subscription is very much okay. For the record, I'm paying all three.

[JMaster5K]

After Caitlin Coopers piece on the comparison between Hendricks and Walker (don't know if we are allowed to link that kind of stuff here, but it's still easily findable with a web search),
=}

Caitlin Cooper is ALWAYS ALLOWED here and encouraged. All that’s asked is to not copy and paste the entire article, but at most 1-2 paragraphs or a quote that stands out.

We stan Caitlin Cooper here and want her to get all the clicks and subscriptions she can. She’s amongst the best writers and analytical minds in the league, and we’re lucky to have her writing here for Indy. Y’all should subscribe.

Thank you Scoot & Wizop. Will post the link below. It's a public domain piece on youtube. It's from a 'Box and One' vid-cast, hosted by Adam Spinella where they both break down the game skills, strengths, weaknesses, etc. while comparing Hendricks & Walker.

Watch on YouTube

I try not to copy/paste unless it's like a sentence. I'd rather paraphrase & post a link to the original content if at all possible. I also try not to link to stuff that pay-walled without saying so.

Thanks again,.. =]

[JMaster5K]

=}[/quote]
Not too worried about a Tisdale outcome. Wayman lacked feel for the game and really didn’t know how to do anything on the floor other than post up. He was bad on defense too. I will really be surprised if Walker isn’t at least a solid roll player. Also the weight loss and improvement as an athlete is pretty interesting. Move that way and maybe we are talking Draymond Green comp?[/quote]


Yeah,. you're points about Wayman are well grounded. Walker already has much better feel. He's only 19. He has so much room to grow, not just his game, but who he is as well. At least to me, it seems his ceiling is huge. Yes, from what I heard, a 'more athletic Draymond' is a fair comp for what the team thinks he should become.

Yeah,.. the Vid-cast posted above,.. apparently Coach Spins watched a lot of him at IMG. He said the Houston game plans really didn't play to all his strengths; that he showed a LOT more playmaking & versatility at IMG. Along the lines of the creation, playmaking, and passing from the short roll, the mid-post, finding cutters, etc. that just weren't part of Houston's game plan. All of which is very, very Draymond.

Say, his floor in a year or two is the Draymond comp. Has some growth to get there, but that is 'likely'. One other comp that caught my attention (from a pro scout describing his top end),.. if everything translates, he max's his potential, and gets that 'killer attitude' like Tyrese where he doesn't just want to win, he wants a clear-cut, dominate victory in everything,.. Jimmy Butler.

If he ends up somewhere between those 2,... he might never start, would almost certainly play more minutes than the starters, and would make me as a Pacer's fan, very, very happy,.. LOL =]

[JMaster5K]

We stan Caitlin Cooper here and want her to get all the clicks and subscriptions she can. She’s amongst the best writers and analytical minds in the league, and we’re lucky to have her writing here for Indy. Y’all should subscribe.[/quote]

Agree completely! already subscribe. I've learned more about the game of basketball over the last year, from her analysis and explanations than I previously knew existed (no joke). As a result, I've really enjoyed the games more, as I understand them better. For me, she's been a basketball version of what Madden was to football. If anyone wants to get beyond the jargon and see the chess match in the game, she is must see, must read insight.

[JMaster5K]

=}[/quote]
Not too worried about a Tisdale outcome. Wayman lacked feel for the game and really didn’t know how to do anything on the floor other than post up. He was bad on defense too. I will really be surprised if Walker isn’t at least a solid roll player. Also the weight loss and improvement as an athlete is pretty interesting. Move that way and maybe we are talking Draymond Green comp?[/quote]

From his second individual workout with the Pacers interview with Indystar just prior to the draft:

https://eu.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2023/06/07/jarace-walker-shows-both-sides-of-his-game-in-pacers-workout/70295466007/

He also believes he can rebound at a higher level than he did last season when he averaged 6.8 rebounds per game, especially because he's transformed his body in the offseason. Even since the NBA Draft Combine he seems more trim and toned and said he's noticed a difference. He showed off his explosiveness at the combine, showing off a 34 1/2 inch standing vertical leap and 38-inch maximum vertical leap, and thinks he can take a step beyond that.

"Just focusing on my diet, conditioning, just putting the right things in my body," Walker said. "I feel like, in an 82-game season, I feel like it's important, just nutrition, what you eat, what you drink every day. Just focusing on that and locking up on that aspect in the game. ... (Cutting weight) just happened naturally. Honestly just changing my diet. No more Wing Stop, Chick-Fil-A, that's out the picture."

The Picture in the article and the photos from the combine show a considerable difference. One of the scouts (later article) said he was 'well under 240' for the second workout,. the official weight at the combine was 248.