The Indiana Pacers succeeded on acquiring a first-round pick in the Malcolm Brogdon trade. However, the team also acquired a litany of players, one of them being Aaron Nesmith, who is entering his third year in the league.
The 6″5 swingman has yet to hit his stride since being drafted 14th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2020 NBA Draft. With his former team now focused on contending for titles, he could be in for a golden opportunity with the youthful Pacers to showcase his skills and re-boost his stock that made him a lottery selection just two years ago.
Can Aaron Nesmith land a consistent role with the Indiana Pacers?
Aaron Nesmith averaged just 12.7 minutes in his two seasons so far, and in that court time, he has mostly played as an undersized small forward, though his natural position is shooting guard. That means that given how the Indiana Pacers are constructed, he will have to contend with Chris Duarte, Bennedict Mathurin, and Buddy Hield for playing time.
Realistically though, Nesmith is not usurping any of those players in the rotation anytime soon. Rick Carlisle’s penchant for dual point guard lineups will also sap any remaining minutes at the off-guard spot.
However, things could change if Hield dons a new uniform via trade, which could be imminent as free agency dwindles to its final phase. Depending on what the Pacers get in return for the sharpshooter, Nesmith could be the first in line to inherit some of his minutes.
To land a consistent role though, Nesmith has to play much better. Advertised as an uber-efficient three-point shooter in college, he has largely struggled from rainbow country, draining just 31.8 percent of his attempts so far. Just last season alone, he was one of the worst shooters in the association, converting on just 27 percent of his treys. In non-garbage minutes, he shot a jarring 22 percent from downtown.
One silver lining though is his defensive upside. He gambles a lot on D, but more often than not, it is aimed at getting the better end of his opponents in 50-50 balls. He is pesky and tenacious as an on-ball defender, and is adept at those chasedown blocks that could come often given Indiana’s renewed pace on both ends.
Aaron Nesmith is a bona fide 3-and-D player at his best, but so far, his calling card has been failing him. Fortunately, he will have loads of chances to regain his shooting stroke. Combine that with his still-developing defense, and the Indiana Pacers could be looking at a solid role player who could immediately contribute if they move on from their remaining veterans in the backcourt.