The Indiana Pacers didn’t make much noise this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they’re standing still. After a quiet summer that brought in Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. in free agency, the focus in Indiana has shifted inward, and one of the biggest names in that conversation is Jarace Walker.
Walker, now 22, is coming off the most productive season of his young career. In 2025-26, he appeared in 76 games and started 41 of them, putting up 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per night while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from deep. For a player who had a much larger role than he saw in either of his first two seasons, it was a clear step forward.
Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan wants to see even more.
"We talk to him all the time about, can you be our OG Anunoby?" Buchanan said.
"Can you be a guy that catches and shoots, can drive on a closeout, but also takes on the responsibility of guarding the other teams, best bigger wing. Play with some physicality, play with some attitude.
And if you can do that I mean, he's a very valuable player for us."
That’s the blueprint Indiana is laying out for Walker: spacing the floor, attacking closeouts, and taking on tough defensive assignments against bigger wings. Buchanan’s message was plain - if Walker grows into that kind of two-way piece, he becomes a major asset for the Pacers.
The organization clearly believes the upside is there. Through his first three NBA seasons, Walker has already shown the makings of a player who can fill a valuable role in the mold of Anunoby. And if he does take that next step, Indiana’s ceiling gets a lot more interesting.
For now, Walker looks positioned to be the Pacers’ primary backup small forward. That role gives him another chance to prove he can handle more responsibility and keep building on last season’s progress.
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Pacers GM Just Addressed The Biggest Ivica Zubac Fit Question
Ivica Zubacs arrival at the NBA trade deadline gave the Pacers a different kind of center than the one they had before, and that was always going to raise the biggest fit question. General manager Chad Buchanan said the veteran big man has settled in smoothly, bringing the kind of experience and unselfish approach the organization values, while also acknowledging that Zubac does not play the same way Myles Turner did.
What Indiana believes it is getting instead is a more old-school interior presence who can help in the areas that matter around the margins of a game. Buchanan pointed to Zubacs rebounding, defense, screening and passing as traits that can offset his lack of three-point shooting, and the Pacers are now trying to see how those strengths translate in Rick Carlisles system as the team works through the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Fans Are Buzzing Over A Long Awaited Uniform Rumor
With Tyrese Haliburton set to be back in the mix and new faces like Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr. added to the rotation, the Pacers are heading toward the 2026-27 season with plenty of attention on the court. But some of the buzz around Indiana right now has nothing to do with scheme or seeding, and everything to do with a possible throwback look that would tap straight into one of the franchises most recognizable eras.
The chatter centers on a return of the gold pinstripe uniforms from the Reggie Miller years, a style that still carries real weight with Pacers fans whenever it comes up. The rumor has not been confirmed, though it picked up steam after a post shared by Polymarket Hoops that traced back to Sneaker Market RO, giving supporters another reason to keep an eye on what Indiana unveils before the new season begins. [Read more 🡒]