Andrew Nembhard, at least on a surface level, is the only Indiana Pacers draft pick over the past decade to actually become a helpful player for the team and outplay their draft slot. Believe it or not (I'm sure it seems easy to believe for people who have been following the Pacers over the past few years), the only player before him to do so may just be Myles Turner.
Yeah, it's been that bad. Player after player has been drafted, some even as high as the top-10, and none of them have become anything of note. Bennedict Mathurin, mid. Jarace Walker, bust. Isaiah Jackson, Chris Duarte, Goga Bitadze, all simply not good enough to stick around. Jackson was at least extended after his rookie deal, but he was immediately moved as part of the Ivica Zubac package.
There just hasn't been a lot of young players who went to Indiana and flourished, just a ton of failed experiments.
All that is to say, with how bad the Pacers have been with their draft pick usage, it makes sense that the team and its fans are fiercely protective of their guy, the one guy in their rotation to be a Pacers pick.
Still, the summer of 2028-29 is rapidly approaching, and Indiana will have many questions to answer. As it stands, barring any real extension talks progressing beyond what has been reported, three of the five Pacers starters will be free agents that offseason.
If we count all rotation pieces, Indiana has only two of their best eight players locked up beyond the next two seasons.
That list includes star acquisition Zubac and the team's highest scorer, Pascal Siakam. It also contains the entirety of the bench from older veterans like TJ McConnell to reclamation projects in Obi Toppin to even recent signees like Kelly Oubre Jr.
There is a real chance that Indiana will lose the large majority of their rotation if they enter a summer of a thousand negotiations with no one locked up long-term alongside Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith.
That brings us to the idea of extensions. Zubac and Siakam may agree to full max deals, especially as they continue to age (29 and 32, respectively), but a young player like Nembhard will likely want to see his first big contract.
If you can't pay em, trade em
If the Pacers cannot agree to an extension with Nembhard, it seems foolish to try to hold onto him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Instead, it may be best to try to find a deal to send him somewhere to get that big deal and to return some value as opposed to losing him for nothing.
Every team wants a capable shot-creator, defender, and playmaker, and Nembhard does all three. While Indiana may struggle to replace him, they certainly can't lose far better and less replaceable players in Zubac and Siakam.
Indiana could try to pry draft pick capital away from a young team looking for a lead guard and shot creator – the Dallas Mavericks could be an option as Kyrie Irving ages out – or for a contender looking for a final piece.
It would be hard to let go of such a wonderful developmental story, but the important thing for this Pacers team is setting the franchise up for success, now and in the future.
Nembhard may simply be a cap casualty, by no fault of his own.
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