Ahead of what should be a career year for him, Andrew Nembhard should be considered a favorite to take home the Most Improved Player award next season.
Nembhard will finally get to play on the ball more and lead the Indiana Pacers on offense with Tyrese Haliburton out for the entire season due to an Achilles injury. Additionally, while not as directly, the Canadian native should be tasked to take on even more of a leadership role with Myles Turner having joined the Milwaukee Bucks.
The sky is the limit for Nembhard, and there are reasons to be excited about how he can perform next year. With him being in line for the biggest role of his career so far, it would not be a shock to see Nembhard add an accolade or two to his resume next year.
The Pacers' offense will likely look different with Andrew Nembhard
Nothing is official yet, but as it stands, it is safe to assume that Indiana will run a slower offense to play to Nembhard's strengths.
The Pacers have become known for their fast-paced run-and-gun offense that works incredibly well for them. Not many teams can run an offense the same way the Pacers can, and that is for a variety of reasons. Most notably, they have Rick Carlisle leading the way, and Haliburton is the perfect point guard in this system. However, with the Wisconsin native on the shelf, their offense will likely be a bit different with Nembhard running the point.
Instead of their fast-paced offense that relies heavily on improvisation and ball movement, Nembhard's Pacers may look like a more traditional offense in order to play to his strengths as a ball handler. This would include running at a slower pace and utilizing more set plays in the half-court.
It still remains to be seen if the Pacers do make this change. However, while not ideal, it may be their best decision to not only succeed as much as possible next season, but also to add a whole new dynamic to their offense for when they get their star guard back.
Regardless of what the Pacers' offense looks like, Nembhard should be able to reach new heights next season. He has already built a reputation as somebody who steps up when the team needs him the most, and Indiana will need him to contribute a lot next season.
The Gonzaga native will have the ball a lot next season, and he should be able to take advantage of this opportunity.
Whether the Pacers remain competitive or not next season will be worth monitoring. Despite many anticipating a gap year, it is looking like they will look to re-establish themselves as title contenders, no matter how big a challenge this may be.
Things do not look great in Indiana, at least for next season. However, there is still a lot to be excited about, and it all starts with Nembhard.