Again within the 2021 season, Chris Duarte entered the NBA as a first-round decide with the Pacers and landed on the All-Rookie Second Workforce by the top of the marketing campaign. Sadly, his sophomore yr noticed a lowered function principally as a consequence of accidents and he solely averaged 7.9 factors and a couple of.5 rebounds in 46 appearances.
Nevertheless, this setback didn’t have an effect on his repute an excessive amount of as Sacramento‘s common supervisor Monte McNair nonetheless believes that the third-year participant deserved an opportunity, sending a 2028 and 2030 second-round decide to Indiana for him.
One of many fundamental alternatives that inspired the Kings to carry him in, was reuniting Duarte with Domantas Sabonis, as they have been teammates in the course of the first half of the 2021/22 competitors. This was proper earlier than the All-Star headed to California in change for Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield.
Monte McNair defined to @KyleDraperTV why he felt Chris Duarte was value taking an opportunity on this summer season
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— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) August 17, 2023
In a current interview with NBC Sports activities, McNair defined intimately why he thought brining in Duarte was a wise alternative, apart from the truth that he performed his finest basketball alongside their star heart throughout his rookie season.
“The truth that he’s performed with Sabonis and has had success actually added to that consolation stage there,” McNair instructed Kyle Draper. “However [he’s] any person with dimension, with taking pictures, with the flexibility to defend, could make a play, I feel he’s going to slot in with how we play on each ends of the court docket. He’s going to have to slot in with another teammates apart from Domas however we predict he’ll.”
The six-foot-six wing was the No. 13 total decide within the draft two years in the past, who went 4 choices after Sacramento took in Davion Mitchell at No. 9.
In accordance with McNair, the Kings scouts have completed their homework on Duarte and have valued his profile for a while now.
“Our analysis of a participant begins earlier than they get into the league and despite the fact that we could draft one, two, three guys in a given yr, our group’s doing work on guys for years earlier than that after which actually in the course of the draft course of,” the GM mentioned. “In order that was actually the bottom for us on Chris, any person we appreciated within the draft and had been monitoring.”
Final month Duarte defined why he feels excited to be reunited with Sabonis in Sacramento
Proper after Duarte’s commerce was confirmed by Sacramento, the younger participant talked to the press and was outspoken about his relationship with Domantas. He remembers how he was one of many first gamers who helped him adapt to the NBA.
“Domas took me underneath his wings since Day 1,” Duarte mentioned. “After I obtained to Indiana, he simply walked me by … That is what it’s prefer to be within the NBA. Ensure you do that, be sure to try this.”
The third-year participant shared that his relationship with the Kings large man goes past the basketball court docket. “So I actually recognize him and nice dude, nice individual. I met his household. I can sit right here and discuss him for hours. So simply so you recognize, we’ve got relationship,” he mentioned.
Little question that having a friendship contained in the squad will assist Duarte’s transition into the Sacramento staff, because the Kings expect that the 26-year-old will develop into an essential asset off the bench for coach Mike Brown of their seek for a second succesful marketing campaign.
