As the oldest player in the 2021 NBA draft, former Oregon Ducks guard Chris Duarte was generally expected to be selected by a team on the verge of an NBA championship, where he could contribute right away as a bench option.
Instead, he was gobbled up by the Indiana Pacers with the 13th overall pick, just sneaking into the back end of the lottery while joining a team that missed the playoffs in the Eastern Conference last year, and looks more like a team entering a rebuild than one trying to win a trophy.
Still, looking at Indiana’s second unit, particularly defensively, makes it pretty easy to see how Duarte could be a good fit.
The Pacers dealt Aaron Holiday to the Wizards on draft day and seem poised to let Doug McDermott walk in free agency, giving them limited scoring options on the second unit.
Duarte can fill the role as a three point specialist coming off the bench, something Indiana is lacking on their current roster, while also providing a much, much needed defensive presence.
Duarte can slide in alongside Justin Holiday and/or Oshae Brissett on Indiana’s second unit, which should create a much more stout defensive group especially if paired with Goga Bitadze and Edmond Sumner.
The 24-year-old rookie from Oregon should carve out a decent role in his rookie year, launching a few three pointers per game which will open up the floor for Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis to flourish in the two-man game – and his defense will be much needed for a team that struggled on that side of the floor last year.
It may not be the bright shiny lights of Los Angeles or New York, but Duarte looks like a key piece for a Pacers team that might be looking to make a push sooner than expected.
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