Wizards' Dream Trade Target Revealed

The Washington Wizards could try and make a trade for this intriguing young player.

May 6, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) warms up before game one of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards won't be contending for much of anything other than the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024-25 NBA campaign, so they certainly won't be trying to add any veteran players.

However, the Wizards could be interested in acquiring some more young talent for their rebuild.

That's why Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus has identified Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker as a "dream" trade target for Washington.

Ironically enough, Walker was technically drafted by the Wizards with the eighth overall pick in 2023, but was immediately traded to the Pacers as part of a three-team trade (Washington landed Bilal Coulibaly in exchange).

Walker played in just 33 games during his rookie campaign with Indiana, averaging 3.6 points over 10.3 minutes a night while shooting 40.9 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three-point range.

Given that the Pacers made the playoffs last season and had a rather crowded frontcourt rotation (especially after the midseason addition of Pascal Siakam), that Walker's role was very limited does not come as much of a surprise.

However, with Indiana continuing to rise in the Eastern Conference, Pincus wonders if that could make Walker expendable.

Pincus notes that the Wizards may have to get a third team involved in order to pry Walker away from the Pacers, but he would definitely be an interesting fit in the nation's capital.

The University of Houston product spent one season in the NCAA, averaging 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds over 27.6 minutes per game on 46.5/34.7/66.3 shooting splits for the Cougars.

Still just 21 years old, Walker has plenty of room to grow and would absolutely make sense on a Washington ballclub that has no path to contention in the immediate future.

We'll see if the Wizards can try and make a play for the Pacers youngster.

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