Drafted 13th overall by the Indiana Pacers in 2021, Chris Duarte emerged during his rookie season as key perimeter shooting threat for his team. Heading into his second season with Indiana though, Duarte's role began to change and his minutes declined drastically. This directly resulted in in his low scoring rates and shooting percentages this past season.

Looking for a change of scenery this offseason and the Pacers looking to make room for new talent, Duarte was traded to the Sacramento Kings right ahead of the start of free agency on June 30. Several days later, the full details of this trade have been announced, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Duarte is heading to the Kings in exchange for two second-round picks. These picks include the Dallas Mavericks' 2028 second-round pick and the Kings' 2030 second-round pick.

This past season was a magical one for the Kings, as they made the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Mike Brown earned the NBA's Coach of the Year honors in his first season with the organization and both Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox were named All-Stars. Fox also received the league's inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award.

Sacramento has drastically improved their outlook across the league and all of a sudden, they have gone from the bottom of the standings to a team who could very much go on a deep playoff run. On the hunt for more X-factors on their bench, the Kings saw an opportunity to grab Duarte for a cheap price and that is exactly what they did.

Even though he was a lottery pick not too long ago, the Kings were able to acquire Duarte from the Pacers for nothing more than two future second-round picks that hold little to no value right now other than in trade discussions. With the Pacers looking to cut some salary in order to sign Bruce Brown during free agency, Sacramento was able to get a key three-point shooting weapon that adds depth.

In 101 total games in his career, Chris Duarte has averaged 10.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 34.7 percent from three-point range. He will undoubtedly be utilized right away in Sacramento  as he prepares for his third NBA season.