Andrew Nembhard isn’t going to turn into Tyrese Haliburton, but he could blossom into a lead ball-handler and potential All-Star for the Indiana Pacers this season. Things will be different, but Nembhard should be excited to see what he can prove, and fans should be as well.
Following Haliburton's Achilles injury, which will sideline him for the entire season, the Pacers are going to slide Nembhard over to the point full-time. However, just because the Canadian native is essentially going to be leading the way does not mean he will be able to replicate Haliburton's play.
Haliburton has established himself as one of the best point guards in the NBA because of his elite playmaking and facilitating. He is also the perfect fit in Indiana's system because he can push the tempo and make quick decisions, which is ideal for the team's run-and-gun offense. While Nembhard should be able to excel as the full-time starting point guard, it is going to look a little different with him running the show.
Nembhard is fantastic in the half-court, and he is a shifty ball-handler. However, he is not a guy who excels at speeding up the pace. His style is completely different from Haliburton's, and it is expected that the Pacers will make some adjustments to play to his strengths.
Fans should expect Nembhard to take a major leap this season and have a breakout year, but it is not going to be by playing the same way his star guard teammate does. Instead, the Gonzaga alum will still play his game, but he will just do it at a much higher level.
Andrew Nembhard's role will essentially be the same
Outside of moving back over to point guard full-time, his natural position, Nembhard's role on the court will mostly be the same, just to a greater degree.
Instead of being the secondary ball-handler, Nembhard will become the lead ball-handler, facilitator, and playmaker for Indiana. Furthermore, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, his defensive responsibility of guarding the opposing team's best player will remain the same. This could be a massive mistake as it may be too much for the 25-year-old to handle right away, but it is a testament to how much the organization trusts him.
Nembhard is not going to be too flashy on the court this season, but he should still be productive. He has stepped up numerous times in Haliburton's absence before--he just has not been able to do it consistently. That will change, however, and his increased opportunity could land him in All-Star conversations.
There is a lot to like about Nembhard's outlook next season as Indiana's primary point guard, and fans should be excited to see what he can do as the main guy for a full season. He is not going to be Haliburton 2.0, but that is completely fine. Either way, the Pacers seem to have trust in him that he can help the team stay competitive. A Nembhard breakout this season is a fair expectation--it just may look a little different than some think it will.