The Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards have made the first trade of the 2023 NBA Draft, according to Shams Charania. Bilal Coulibaly, the No. 7 overall pick, will ultimately land in Washington, while Jarace Walker, the No. 8 overall pick, will head to Indiana. The Pacers get two future second-round picks for their troubles.
Coulibaly was a late riser up the draft board. The French teammate of Victor Wembanyama is a 6-foot-7 forward, but he has a 7-foot-2 wingspan that he will be able to use to grow into an elite defender in the NBA. His athleticism will translate well to the NBA, and while he isn't a great shooter, he makes enough shots to at least keep opposing defenses honest. He has a ways to go, but he rose significantly throughout the draft process and now, he lands in the top 10.
CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein gave the Wizards a 'B' for moving up to take a chance on Couilbaly.
Coulibaly is the highest-risk, highest-reward player who was teammates with Wembanyama this season. This is earlier than anyone projected him to go, but he's improving at a rapid rate and growing into his massive wingspan. He is physical and athletic, but also have some shooting potential. He simply hasn't played a lot of high-level basketball.
Walker is a 6-7 forward who spent last season playing his Freshman year at the University of Houston. There, he helped lead the Cougars to a stellar 33-4 season that ended in the Sweet 16, where they lost to the University of Miami. Walker averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a Cougar, and while he couldn't carry them to the Final Four, his ability to seamlessly fit on to a team of upperclassmen bodes well for his adjustment to the NBA.
Walker's defensive upside is what makes him such a compelling NBA prospect. His 7-foot-3 wingspan and muscular frame should give him the flexibility to play center defensively when his team needs him to, yet he made almost 35% of his 3-pointers last season, suggesting he can space the floor from that position as well. Defenders with the bulk to survive near the basket and the skill to play away from it are a rarity even in the NBA, so Walker should almost immediately step into the NBA as a viable role player with the potential to grow into a bigger role.
Finkelstein gave the Pacers and 'A-' for their pick:
I would have liked to see a little more offense from Walker at Houston. He's more defense than offense, but he's also not quite a small-ball five or a big wing. He's a long, powerful defensive-minded four who really improved in his senior year at IMG Academy. What you have to love from Indiana is adding two extra assets (in the future) while still getting their guy -- though I might have preferred Taylor Hendricks here.
The Wizards perhaps could have waited one more pick and hoped that Coulibaly had made it to them, but considering how quickly his stock rose, someone else might have jumped ahead of them and grabbed the coveted prospect. Indiana, meanwhile, picks up some extra draft capital to select a prospect they were excited to take anyway. It was a win-win move for both sides.
