Indiana
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle details position change for Jarace Walker
Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker is working on shifting his position from the four to the three.
In a more positionless NBA, players with certain skill and size requirements can play at effectively any spot on the floor. Walker is no exception. He has played several positions during his basketball career, including both point guard and center while in high school, but he is naturally thought of as a power forward.
His size at six-foot-eight-inches intuitively makes him a four man, especially at 240 pounds. Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan likened Walker to a linebacker last offseason after the team selected him in the lottery during the 2023 NBA Draft.
Going forward, Walker is shifting his responsibilities from the power forward spot to small forward. That change is something that became noticeable earlier in this offseason — the young wing started games at the three for the Pacers during summer league, and his slight change in position was alluded to throughout the summer at various times.
Indiana’s head coach, Rick Carlisle, discussed that shift earlier this week during an interview on 107.5 The Fan. Carlisle, asked about Walker on The Wake Up Call, dove into Walker’s reality.
“We’re in the process of a position change there. He needs to keep that momentum going,” Carlisle said of Walker. “I’m not going to get into exactly where he may or may not be projected in the lineup. But he’s got a real chance to play if he can continue that momentum.”
Carlisle noted that Walker started to earn that momentum by getting in shape earlier in the offseason. That allowed him to, in Carlisle’s eyes, show some physicality, defense, and rebounding during summer league — key skills for Walker’s growth with Indiana going forward. He did it all at the small forward spot this offseason.
The head coach added that the coming week in Orlando — where the Pacers are holding a players-only minicamp — is big for Walker.
Having the young forward learn skills that will make him a more effective small forward is smart by the Pacers. Not only does it give Walker positional versatility — he can slide back to the four in the future if need be — but it also gives him a more direct route to playing time. Between Obi Toppin, Pascal Siakam, and small-ball lineups with Aaron Nesmith, there just isn’t much opportunity for minutes at power forward with Indiana’s current roster construction. At the three — where the current mix of players is Nesmith, Ben Sheppard, Bennedict Mathurin, and Johnny Furphy — Walker has a better chance to earn more immediate playing time.
Last season, the Houston product averaged 3.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game across 33 outings. With Bruce Brown, Buddy Hield, Doug McDermott, Jordan Nwora, and various other Pacers players from last season out of the picture, more opportunities should be coming Walker’s way in the coming campaign. Even if he doesn’t earn them right away and is out of the rotation, he should be able to hit the hardwood in the cases of injury to just about any rotation player.
Indiana kicks off preseason play in just a few weeks. The 2024-25 season begins in just over a month.
RIPLEY COUNTY, Ind. (WSBT) — A statewide Silver Alert has been issued for two young children in Indiana.
Police in Ripley County, southeast of Indianapolis, are looing for the children who may be siblings.
The first child is 3-year-old Aaliyah Buckingham.
She was last seen wearing a pink cat shirt and tie-dye shorts.
The younger child is 1-year-old Shane Buckingham, last seen in a red shirt and diaper.
Police think both are with 45-year-old Timothy Buckingham, who was last seen driving a brown GMC truck.
Timothy is described as a 6′ 3″ white man weighing 225 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.
Photo of Timothy Buckingham provided by Indiana State Police
Police have not confirmed the relationship of the three, or why the children are believed to be in danger.
Anyone who sees the three are asked to contact the nearest police department.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A firefighter for the Indianapolis Fire Department was sent to the hospital Wednesday after battling a fire at a vacant house.
According to a Facebook post made by IFD, the fire happened around 10:15 a.m. at a house on Bluff Rd. IFD says that there were several complications, including limited access to fire hydrants and “interior hoarder conditions” that IFD says was due to squatters.
The injured firefighter received “slight injury,” the Facebook post said.
It took over an hour and a half to get the fire under control, according to IFD, and another hour to put out all the remaining hot spots in the building.
According to IFD, the cause of the fire is currently unknown. Their Fire Investigations Unit is working on figuring out what caused the fire.
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