8305 wrote:I liked Hendricks better than Walker and I've grown to be a skeptic of Pacers drafting competence. 2017-2021 was just plain bad on so many levels. Moving to 2022 I'm less sold on Mathurin than most here. Second half of last season he was the anti-3 and D guy. Bad defender and bad shooter. I'm willing to drink the "he wants to get better and is so coachable" cool aide for now and Nembhard was a solid get at 31. Overall last year's draft bought back a little credibility.
I don't buy the Walker comparisons with Hansborugh. Tyler was an old player with non-existent feel for the game. The guys I hoped for at pick 26 Whitehead, Murray and Prosper were all gone so maybe at that point Shepherd just being an NBA player will look like the best we could do? TJD? I'm not sold. Good chance he would be another under-sized 5. If we don't need more 2/3's we sure as hell don't need another small backup center.
Yeah,... I'm not as skeptical of the Pacers competence as you,.. I keep having to check myself,.. as in 'they can't draft what isn't there'. I think they've done a good job with the cards they were dealt, but they also haven't really taken any chances that could actually move the needle?
After Caitlin Coopers piece on the comparison between Hendricks and Walker (don't know if we are allowed to link that kind of stuff here, but it's still easily findable with a web search), I'm not really sold that either of them are, or will be, without a LOT of work, a player that fits the Pacers. IMO, Hendricks fills a more immediate need / role as the (over-used) '3 & D' guy at the 4. Unfortunately, he doesn't really rebound well, and doesn't seem to have any offensive feel that would make him part of the scheme (other than a catch & shoot release valve).
Walker probably has the higher upside, if you bet on his shooting coming around. His feel on offense is already very good, he plays good defense, but plays more like a 5 that doesn't like contact (a finesse player instead of a power player) at 240#. He has taken some advice that it was rumored he received at the combine & started to really work on his fitness. He tested on par with the most athletic forwards at the combine with noticeably more body fat, weighed in at 248, but at the Pacers individual workout was already down 'well under' 240 & noticeably more cut. He reportedly was even more explosive & fast twitch at the private workout as a result.
The Walker comp that keeps coming to me & making me question the pick is Wayman Tisdale,.. another 4 that was such a nice guy both on and off the court that he never had that 'Jimmy Butler like' edge. He played as an undersized finesse 4 in a power body without an outside shot. Game has changed since then, but I just keep hoping that Walker gets that (within the team offense & defense), 'I can put this team on my back & carry it, when the others are struggling' mind-set. Just don't really believe that very likely at this point?... but I would be REALLY happy to be wrong.
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