The Sacramento Kings are linking up with the Indiana Pacers on a trade once again.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Thursday that the Kings have acquired swingman Chris Duarte in a trade with the Pacers. Sacramento will be sending two second-round picks (2028 via Dallas as well as a 2030 pick of their own) back to Indiana.
A former lottery pick (13th overall), Duarte was teammates with Kings All-Star big Domantas Sabonis before Sabonis was traded by the Pacers. He was an All-Rookie selection in 2022, averaging 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Duarte is a strong player who makes tough shots and also has a high activity level on defense.
The downside for Duarte is that he is coming off a sophomore year where he battled injuries and ineffectiveness (shooting a dismal 36.9 percent overall). As a result, he averaged just 7.9 points per game. Additionally, Duarte is a lot older than the average player entering his third season (26 years old). But the Kings getting him for just two second-round picks is a nice snag and continues on their pretty strong NBA offseason.
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