Duarte

[MillerTime]

I'm hope I'm not jinxing him but I can't recall the last time we've seen a rookie impress us this much. Even when we drafted PG, he wasn't this good this early in his career

I think Duarte is going to be something special

[McKeyFan]

It's kind of simplistic that it comes down to this, but great players can simply put it through the hoop, and average players are inconsistent. Kyrie, Doncic, Booker, Mitchell, Beal, Lillard . . . regardless of where they are shooting from, it seems to go in. And they don't miss easy ones. I hope we've obtained one of those guys.

[SaintLouisan]

The kid's got panache.

I refuse to get excited before the regular season, but as someone who doesn't watch college ball (and therefore is seeing him for the first time now)...boy, it's hard to keep the giddiness down.

I have a question for the people that say "like the player, hate the pick": if this kid turns into the next Klay Thompson (read: a second option, not the next Giannis or Lebron), will you still say this is the wrong pick?

DISCLAIMER: I'M NOT SAYING HE WILL BE THE NEXT KLAY THOMPSON

[Pacersalltheway10]

The kid's got panache.

I refuse to get excited before the regular season, but as someone who doesn't watch college ball (and therefore is seeing him for the first time now)...boy, it's hard to keep the giddiness down.

I have a question for the people that say "like the player, hate the pick": if this kid turns into the next Klay Thompson (read: a second option, not the next Giannis or Lebron), will you still say this is the wrong pick?

DISCLAIMER: I'M NOT SAYING HE WILL BE THE NEXT KLAY THOMPSON

I'll go ahead and say he'll be the next Klay or DBook.

[SaintLouisan]

I'll go ahead and say he'll be the next Klay or DBook.

Damn....I had that in my initial post but took it out since he's a first option...

That's the guy who comes most to mind when I watch Duarte

[Ichi]

I don't see Klay in Duarte. Duarte has more game off the driblle, and actually seems to enjoy handling the ball. I think he looks quite a lot quicker than Klay as well. I see a little Booker in him for sure. Booker's short-mid range game is super lethal though, so Duarte has a lot more to show there. I bet Duarte is a better shooter from distance though, and a much better defender. Book also has real playmaking chops that we've seen some from our rook.

[CJ Jones]

He scores about every conceivable way in this clip..

... and it leaves out a tough left handed finish over two bigs. I think it was off an off ball cut and pass from TJ.

[90'sNBARocked]

I feel the same way. I almost started a similar post. I just love guys that know how to play in all facets of the game and have a fearlous approach

I see a lot of Klay Thompson in him

[Rogco]

I hope he is. I was very against the pick, but so far he has done nothing but impress.

[LongTimePacerFan]

When you draft a "rookie" who's already in the prime of his career, he should impress. This is his peak. If he were doing this at 20 years old, I'd be aboard the hype train, but this is the ceiling.

[Merz]

When you draft a "rookie" who's already in the prime of his career, he should impress. This is his peak. If he were doing this at 20 years old, I'd be aboard the hype train, but this is the ceiling.

I don't think 24 is the usual "prime" age. I believe it is closer to 27.
Sure some players peak at 24-25, but that is usually because their body is already breaking down from years in the league and their physical prime doesn't match up with the natural physical prime of 27-29.
Barring injuries, I would not say that Duarte has already peaked.

[Guest]

I'll go ahead and say he'll be the next Klay or DBook.

Buddy Hield is a better comparison. He doesn’t have the length as Klay and he’s an older player like Buddy was.

[PacerDude]

He doesn't have the length as Klay . . . .

Klay is 6-6 with a 6-9 wingspan.

Duarte is 6-6 with a 6-7 wingspan.

I don't see 2 inches being that important (yeah, I know - TWSS !!).

Physically - they're very comparable. Klay has 20 pounds on Duarte, but he's got 7 years on him also.

Hell - if Duarte turns into anything CLOSE to what Klay is - jackpot.

[CJ Jones]

I don't think 24 is the usual "prime" age. I believe it is closer to 27.
Sure some players peak at 24-25, but that is usually because their body is already breaking down from years in the league and their physical prime doesn't match up with the natural physical prime of 27-29.
Barring injuries, I would not say that Duarte has already peaked.

Duarte's got the type of game that should age well also.

[Guest]

The kid's got panache.

I refuse to get excited before the regular season, but as someone who doesn't watch college ball (and therefore is seeing him for the first time now)...boy, it's hard to keep the giddiness down.

I have a question for the people that say "like the player, hate the pick": if this kid turns into the next Klay Thompson (read: a second option, not the next Giannis or Lebron), will you still say this is the wrong pick?

DISCLAIMER: I'M NOT SAYING HE WILL BE THE NEXT KLAY THOMPSON

Ill stir the pot, and answer it with a firm YES.

Reason? If he becomes the next Klay, that would reasonably exceed any realistic expectation or even hope KP had when picking him, iow, that sort of result would be a surprise to Pritch and as a result, it doesn't make the pick any more visionary or smart when made AT THAT TIME. KP would look good, but the credit for such an insane ceiling would rest with Duarte and perhaps the coaches, not on Pritch's ability to see the future.

I feel the same way about this as I do about the Dipo/Bonis trade; he gets credit for taking a risk on guys who had the potential to explode. He doesn't get credit for what Sabo had become, bc nobody saw what coming & if anyone had, that trade would never have been possible.

To be fair...I'd say that about most trades where a guy turns into a far better player than the consensus saw coming, and that holds true for situations where you've picked the surprise guy over a Moses Moody, etc.