Pacers Rumors: Jarace Walker Had 'Minor' Surgery on Elbow Injury After Summer League

Indiana Pacers rookie Jarace Walker "underwent a minor procedure to remove loose bodies in his right elbow," according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Walker, the No. 8 pick in the 2023 draft, is expected to be fully recovered by training camp in September, Wojnarowski added.

The Washington Wizards selected Walker out of Houston before flipping him to the Pacers on draft night in exchange for Bilal Coulibaly and future draft compensation.

Walker, a forward, had a solid freshman season with the Houston Cougars in 2022-23, averaging 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.3 blocks in 36 games while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor and 34.7 percent from deep.

The 19-year-old could easily slot into a talented, young Indiana starting lineup in 2023-24 alongside Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. However, it's also possible Obi Toppin gets a shot to win the starting power forward position after being acquired in a trade from the New York Knicks.

While speaking with All Pacers at the NBA Draft Combine in May, Walker outlined how he thought he would fit in the Indiana lineup, saying that he is a "hard worker and versatile defender."

The Pacers finished the 2022-23 campaign 26th in defensive rating, which was a slight improvement from 28th in 2021-22, but head coach Rick Carlisle made it clear at the end of last season that the team needed to be better defensively in 2023-24, and Walker should certainly help that regard.