Indiana Pacers fans already knew Andrew Nembhard was an asset and could step up in Tyrese Haliburton's absence last season. And for the most part, he did exactly that.
Don't get it twisted, Nembhard is no Haliburton. But he was still fantastic as Indiana's primary point guard. In 57 games, the Canadian native averaged 16.9 points, 7.7 assists, and 2.8 rebounds on 44.2/36.1/82.5% shooting splits. He also set a career high with 19 assists against the Los Angeles Lakers on Mar. 25, surpassing his career best 16-assist game against the Miami Heat just three months earlier.
Obviously, Nembhard running point didn't lead to many victories for the 19-63 Pacers, but that wasn't his fault. He did what he could, and he made the most of his opportunities.
In smaller sample sizes before, Nembhard showed he had what it took to run the show. He has been a reliable secondary ball-handler and playmaker alongside Haliburton for a few years (remember, he was purely a point guard until the team realized he was way too good to just be a backup). Plus, he played incredibly in Games 3 and 4 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals without Haliburton, who was out due to a hamstring injury (Nembhard averaged 28 points, 9.5 assists, and 5 rebounds while shooting 56.4% from the field and 53.8% from deep).
The Gonzaga alum played as well as anybody could have asked for last season, and Pacers fans should be thrilled with his performances, as well as what's to come.
Andrew Nembhard will be important in Tyrese Haliburton's return
Even though he's mostly going to revert to his starting shooting guard, secondary ball-handler role, Nembhard's place in Indiana is arguably even more important than it was before.
The Pacers are expected to have Haliburton back on the court next season, and while the recent returns by other players who sustained Achilles injuries (especially Jayson Tatum and Dejounte Murray) should give fans reason for optimism, the Wisconsin native also deserves some grace.
Once next season rolls around, it will have been about a year and a half between meaningful NBA games for Haliburton. And especially in the Pacers' fast-paced, run-and-gun offensive system, it's probably going to take some time for him to return to form.
And that's exactly where Nembhard comes into play. He can fill in the margins or take over when needed to begin the season as a way for Haliburton to ease in. He clearly showed he was capable of doing so in a bigger role this past season, and he might be the team's X-factor for next season as they look to re-establish themselves as title contenders.
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