With Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf next season, Aaron Nesmith will have a great opportunity to become more of a shot-creator and add a whole new element to his game.
On a recent episode of the Setting the Pace podcast, Michael Facci pointed out that Nesmith would typically be used in catch-and-shoot situations on plays mostly orchestrated by Haliburton. However, with Andrew Nembhard running the point for a year, Nesmith may be tasked with having to be more of a shot creator himself, which should, in turn, make him even more dynamic on offense (h/t Michael Facci on the Setting the Pace Podcast).
"[Nesmith] gets such good looks from Tyrese Haliburton where he's able to be a true catch-and-shoot guy at times...you want to see him put the ball on the ground a little bit more and be able to move around...I think there's more to his game that we're going to see this year," Facci said.
With Haliburton out next season, Indiana's offense will look incredibly different, and everybody will take on a much bigger role. Nembhard will now be running the show for a season, and it is safe to assume the offense will be much slower and more traditional this way. Additionally, guys like Bennedict Mathurin and Pascal Siakam should see bigger roles offensively as well.
One key player to keep an eye on is Nesmith, however, who played a big role during the Pacers' latest playoff run. The Vanderbilt alum has established himself as one of the best 3-and-D players in the league, but he will now be able to turn himself into a bigger offensive weapon.
Aaron Nesmith plays a crucial role in Indiana
The Pacers landed Nesmith back in 2022 as a throw-in from the Boston Celtics. While he showed some flashes in Boston, he rarely showed just how high his ceiling is.
During his time in Indiana, Nesmith has become a crucial part of the team's success on both sides of the ball. He brings a ton of energy on defense and is often tasked with taking on the opposing team's best player. On the flip side, he is a real three-point shooting threat and can act as a microwave at times.
The 25-year-old played a key role in the Pacers' latest NBA Finals appearance. As they look to remain legitimate title contenders for the long haul, his presence will continue to be important. However, this does not mean he does not have any room to grow, and he should be able to prove that next season.
One of the biggest knocks on Nesmith's game is that he is not much of a shot-creator. Like Facci mentioned, most of his offensive outbursts are largely due to Haliburton setting him up perfectly. And with the Pacers being without their All-NBA guard next year, it is going to be difficult for Nesmith to replicate his contributions on offense. However, if he can elevate his game a little bit and prove he can be effective while putting the ball on the floor more, that will pay dividends for him and the team in the long run.
With the Pacers likely running a more traditional offense next season, it will be crucial that everybody adjusts properly. That will be a bigger deal for some players over others, but the reward can pay off. This is especially true for Nesmith, who could showcase a thing or two next year to further prove his value in Indiana.