Insider: Why the Pacers expect Chris Duarte to blossom into starter sooner than later
There are intangibles, such as leadership and presence, with Indiana Pacers rookie Chris Duarte that are undeniable, and rookie Isaiah Jackson could follow suit.
There are intangibles, such as leadership and presence, with Indiana Pacers rookie Chris Duarte that are undeniable, and rookie Isaiah Jackson could follow suit.
Coach Rick Carlisle wants a third point guard going into the season, and there still are some roster moves to be made before 2021-22 tips in October.
Defense made all the difference in Indiana’s 95-61 blowout Saturday, led by rookies Chris Duarte (19 points) and Isaiah Jackson (12 points).
There’s a strong chance that the roster the Pacers have now will be similar to the one they have entering training camp for the 2021-22 season.
The first priority is re-signing T.J. McConnell and figuring out who to plug in if Doug McDermott leaves after the best season of his career.
They failed to qualify for the postseason, but the Pacers believe the path back and beyond requires more players with Chris Duarte’s skill set.
The Pacers had opportunities to trade down, but they traded back in to get two first-rounders starting with a 6-6 forward with versatility.
Ryan Carr, Pacers vice president of player personnel, spoke about Thursday’s draft and how they’ve prepared in a difficult year because of COVID-19.
Instead of being desperate to make a move, the Pacers are in a desirable spot and can take advantage of teams wanting to move up to add assets.
A lot didn’t go well under Nate Bjorkgren during a 34-38 season and the Pacers failure to make the playoffs, but Calbert Cheaney stood out.