Andrew Nembhard exited the Indiana Pacers' season-opening loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a shoulder injury after 17 minutes. He missed each of Indiana's next two games, and fans still have no idea when he's coming back.
Given that there is still no definitive update on his injury, this could mean that an extended absence is a very real possibility for the Canadian native.
Indiana has dealt with a ton of injuries to key players, so to say that Nembhard's current situation is far from ideal would be a massive understatement.
Heading into training camp, the Pacers knew they would be without Tyrese Haliburton for the year due to an Achilles injury. However, things have only gotten worse for the team since then. To begin the regular season, they have dealt with injuries to Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, Taelon Peter, Quenton Jackson (who has since returned from his hamstring injury), Kam Jones, and Johnny Furphy.
The season is still incredibly young, but things are not looking great in Indiana at the moment. And, until there is an update on Nembhard, Pacers fans have reason to be a bit on edge the rest of the way.
Andrew Nembhard will be crucial to the Pacers' success this season
Without Haliburton, a lot of eyes are going to be on Nembhard (whenever he returns to game action) to make up for his absence. He may not be able to fill his shoes, but Pacers fans know exactly what the Gonzaga alum is capable of, so it should be exciting to see him take on an expanded role.
He is completely different from his All-NBA teammate, but Nembhard has stepped up as Indiana's primary point guard before, and he is able to run the show for a year to keep the team afloat.
Haliburton is elite because he can push the tempo and make quick decisions while being an incredibly efficient playmaker. Nembhard, on the other hand, excels in traditional half-court sets and is more of a shifty ball-handler. He is also a fantastic playmaker and passer, though, which is why fans should have confidence in him this season.
Despite what many are anticipating, the Pacers have shown no signs of wanting to tank this season. Instead, they still want to compete and re-establish themselves as title contenders.
This will be a tall (and borderline impossible) task. But the Pacers have made a habit of proving their doubters wrong, and they will look to do the same this season. Unfortunately for them, things have not gotten off on the right foot.
In addition to all the injuries they are now navigating through, Indiana is 0-3 through its first three games. Additionally, the team ranks in the bottom five in both offensive and defensive ratings, and their -10.8 net rating is the third-worst in the NBA (behind the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets). There is still a lot of time to turn things around, but they need to do so sooner rather than later.
The Pacers will look to stay afloat with Nembhard, but they can only do so for so long before his absence becomes too much to overcome. And, given that nothing is official yet, the team may need to brace for an extended absence for the 25-year-old.