Wizards Could Pursue Pacers Forward on Trade Market

Wizards Named Fit for Former Pacers Lottery Pick

Bleacher Report writer Greg Swartz recently suggested that the Wizards could target young Pacers forward Jarace Walker as a potential addition to their roster.

"The rebuilding Washington Wizards have done an admirable job of stacking young talent at nearly every position over the last few years. They should still be scouring opponents' rosters to find former high draft picks who have been buried by veterans and need a fresh start elsewhere," Swartz writes.

He adds that, "Jarace Walker was the No. 8 overall pick of the 2023 draft, although playing time has been limited behind Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin.With a strong, 6'8" frame and nice outside shooting touch (40.4 percent from three in his career), Walker could be a nice complement to Alex Sarr in the Wizards' frontcourt."

Walker's Numbers

Walker didn't see much action for the Eastern Conference champion Pacers last season. He averaged 6.1 points, 1.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds on 47% shooting from the field in 15 minutes per game. Despite the limited minutes, he proved to be a reliable rotation big man for the Pacers.

He's off to a promising start this season, scoring 13 points, four assists and four rebounds in the Pacers' season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Bringing in Walker could help the Wizards add another reliable rotation player who could be a pivotal part of the team down the line as they continue their rebuild.

Wizards Have Built Stacked Group of Young Talent

The Wizards have done an excellent job of stacking young talent over recent years, recently adding Cam Whitmore via trade from the Houston Rockets and bringing in solid veterans like CJ McCollum in the offseason, while also coming away with No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson in the 2025 NBA Draft.

General manager Will Dawkins remains committed to building a strong foundation for the Wizards' future, which looks rather bright at the moment given the team's core.

They'll be looking to build on their first win of the season, which came on the road over Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks, when they take on LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets.