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Two years ago, Chris Duarte was selected by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA Draft.
He showed a lot of promise and proved to be a solid offensive choice for the team.
However, he is now about to leave the Pacers.
Shams Charania is reporting that the Pacers are nearing a trade to send Duarte to the Sacramento Kings for draft compensation.
The Indiana Pacers are nearing a trade sending guard Chris Duarte to the Sacramento Kings for draft compensation, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2023
Duarte was the 13th overall pick by the Pacers back in 2021 and immediately got to work for his new team.
In his rookie year, he put up 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 43.2% from the field.
In his second year his output dropped but so did his time on the court.
The Pacers changed their direction and their focus and Duarte only earned an average of 19.5 minutes per game, down from 28 in his first year.
Halfway through 2022-23, it was clear that the Pacers were moving beyond Duarte and didn’t see a spot for him in the team’s future.
Therefore, this trade isn’t that surprising.
Duarte will fit in quite well with the team that Mike Brown has built in Sacramento.
He is a solid three-point shooter and will give the Kings yet another option to score from the perimeter.
Plus, he is young and energetic just like the rest of the roster.
As for the Pacers, they will hold onto this draft compensation or package it together with other assets in pursuit of more win-now talent.
Duarte is still on his rookie deal through 2024-25 so he will be a restricted free agent in 2025.
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