The Kings didn’t make many changes last offseason, but one move they did make was throw a couple future second-round picks at the Indiana Pacers to acquire former lottery pick Chris Duarte, entering his 3rd year in the NBA. Duarte was coming off a down year, with injuries and more competition leading to fewer opportunities, but the hope was that he could regain some of his rookie year form where he averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 36.9% from three and be a valuable depth piece. Unfortunately for both Duarte and the Kings, he never seemed to find a rhythm all season.
Duarte finished the 2023-24 campaign averaging career lows across the board: 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists and just 38.1% from the field. His 3P% was up from his sophomore year but at just 34.6% he wasn’t reliable enough as a threat. Defense was supposed to be his calling card, and while he showed good effort on that end, he was often asked to guard bigger wings and struggled to do so. The Kings were actually 1.5 points better defensively when Duarte was off the floor, not a good sign for a player meant to help on that end.
Offensively, Duarte was a mess. Despite 47.1% of his total field goal attempts being catch and shoot, he made only 31.3% of those attempts (32.6% on catch and shoot threes). He wasn’t able to punish defenses that would leave him wide open: Per NBA.com, 32.4% of his three point attempts were designated as wide-open, with no defender being within 6 feet of him, and he made just 33.8% of those shots. He also wasn’t a particular threat to drive (he shot just 15.2% of his attempts at the rim, down from both his previous years) or pass (his 7.8% assist rate was on par with JaVale McGee’s assist rate).
It’s not as if Duarte didn’t get an opportunity to prove himself either. Coach Brown opted to start Duarte at two points in the season when Kevin Huerter was struggling, but Duarte didn’t manage to make a particularly big impact at any point. Eventually he fell in favor of Keon Ellis, who was able to make an impact on both ends of the court, and wasn’t able to really get on the court much despite the Kings missing both Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk for the end of the season.
Duarte is also different from most players on rookie deals in that he’s not exactly young. Despite finishing just his 3rd year in the league, Duarte is actually almost 200 days older than De’Aaron Fox. He was drafted so highly in order to be an instant impact player, and for at least a little bit in his rookie year he was. But he has struggled to find himself since then, and doesn’t have the luxury of time to figure things out, especially on a Kings team desperate to win in a tough Western Conference.
For the Kings, rolling the dice on Duarte was a fairly low risk move, but it has failed to pan out. They’re now on the hook for his final year, and it seems unlikely that Duarte is going to be able to turn it around and suddenly become an impact player at 27 years old.
Duarte seems like he’s probably a nice dude, but he was my least favorite player to watch this season. I never felt confident when he would shoot the ball. He always seemed out of control. My dislike for him borders on unreasonable, but luckily the numbers support my feelings of how bad he was.
It was a smart trade. Low cost, low risk, solid upside. The exact type of trade I want the Kings to make. It just didn’t work out. Now Duarte is an expiring contract, and I hope his time remaining in Sacramento is short.
I couldn’t tell if the game was too fast for him, or if he was too fast for the game.
He was hyper in a bad way out there. I was fine with the move too, but it didn’t work out. Now he can be added to a larger trade and hopefully bring back a better piece for the Kings.
did you ever watch Pepe Sanchez? he was fun to watch. just never developed a shot.
Never heard of that person.
Temple hoops, late 90s. point guard. something about the contrast between his cool demeanor and razor sharp passes.
Was it a good trade though? Duarte was already losing minutes to Nesmith, Mathurian, and Nembhard on an Indy team deep with wings. I feel like they had already given up on him and got two 2nd round picks for removing a guy that let the other guys on their team flourish all the way to the ECF.
Who’s minutes was Duarte supposed to get on a team that rolled back virtually every role player from last season. Was he to fill the role vacated by TD (who was also acquired for a 2nd round pick)? Is that worth 2 second rounders when you just drafted Colby Jones and Jalen Slawson to fill similar roles?
By my count that’s 3 second round picks given up for guys who are likely at best about 10th in your rotation.
Hyped as a good trade 2 seconds for him. He has “chemistry” with DS
But, it was a bad trade. Never contributed. Lost 2 low level assets but seconds come in handy.
Had lost time to Mathurin, Nemhard, Nesmith and TJ and to Ben Shepherd who had not played yet
Bad move. Now stuck with him for a year more.
Trade unlikely. Stretch him
Some things look good on paper. But basketball is played on hardwood.
Paper comes from wood…
Or cotton, hemp or linen.
There’s a fascinating paper mill (the only windpowered paper mill) near my house, where they recycle old clothes into paper.
De Schoolmeester, Westzaan – Wikipedia
“This piece of paper was once worn by a sheep farmer”
Recycling, like wind energy, is not a new invention.
Very true.
That’s fantastic! We somehow did not get to visit a windmill during our trip to Netherlands, unless the ones at the Openluchtmuseum in Arnhem count.
Our hotel room WAS directly across from the Polo Bar in Haarlem, and they’re supposed to close at 2:00 AM. I can’t be entirely sure, but I believe THEY DO NOT CLOSE AT 2:00 AM. Lovely place, though. If we could move out of the US, Amsterdam and the surrounding area would high on the list, no pun intended!
The ones at the Openluchtmuseum do count. These are genuine old mills (like most of the rest of the buildings) that have been moved to the museum. Not replica’s.
Oh yeah, some bars like to walk the line when it comes to closing time. Haarlem is a nice little city. Have you been to the Teylers Museum?
And why are you forbidden to move out of the US?
checkmate
All-NBA teams were announced. Do.as was 3rd team. His son, AD was named 2nd team. AD is overrated, imo.
Domas also only player to make All-NBA and not be an all-star this year. I’m not sure how often that happens.
When Vezenkov and Duarte are the big additions it’s not surprising the team won two fewer games. Terrance . Davis was more valuable than both .
I kind of wondered why they did not look to re sign Terrance after they lost both Monk and Huerter. Wasn’t he eligible for a 10 day contract? Or can you not use those so late in the season?
Badge Legend