Chris Duarte: Like Mitchell, enters the first of two potential team options in 2024
The Kings recently acquired the Pacers’ former late lottery pick (13th overall in 2021) for two second-round picks, adding to their depth on the wing for Sacramento. Additionally, Duarte offers more shooting for one of the league’s most frequent three-point shooting teams. As a career 35% shooter from three, Duarte (like Mitchell), saw a huge role on a lower-level basketball team but saw his role shrink in year two. For Duarte, a change of scenery was needed for his future success.
As his role shrunk, so did his productivity, and availability to acquire the young player only increased. With a midseason trade two seasons ago that brought Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento, but Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield to Indiana, the Pacers’ sudden logjam in their backcourt only intensified with the addition of Benedict Mathurin the following NBA Draft, bumping Duarte down the depth chart more.
After a promising 13 PPG rookie season (43/37/80 shooting splits in 28 MPG), Duarte’s number dropped to 8 PPG (37/32/85 in 20 MPG). Duarte’s got some potential as a shooter. and he offers some length defensively at 6’6″. At age 26 already through just two seasons in the league, he also fits the Kings’ timeline to potentially compete in the Western Conference moving forward.