Losing Tyrese Haliburton for a season is a brutal reality for the Indiana Pacers to have to deal with, but according to a front office executive who spoke with Keith Smith of Spotrac at Summer League, they are very confident in the rest of their guard room to fill the void he left behind.
“Yeah, we’ll see how that goes, unfortunately,” a Pacers scout told Smith. “Wish it wasn’t the case, but it is. That’s life in the NBA,. But we have really, really good guards. We think we have the best guard group in the entire NBA. Tyrese is the best point guard in the NBA, but Andrew (Nembhard), T.J. (McConnell), Benn (Bennedict Mathurin), and Kam (Jones) are pretty good. They’ll make it work.”
Honestly, Indiana’s scout might have a point. And Andrew Nembhard is the key to it all.
How will the Pacers fare without Tyrese Haliburton?
There is no replacing what Haliburton brings to the table. He made that obvious this past postseason, nailing a game-winning shot in every series he played in. However, if there’s any team well-equipped enough to play without their star point guard, it might be the Pacers.
First and foremost, the Pacers play a very free-flowing style of basketball anyways. Other guys should be able to step up into larger roles and play within the flow of Indiana’s offense.
But on a more individual level, Nembhard looks poised to be a perfect replacement for Haliburton next season.
Nembhard has been rock solid for the Pacers for years now, and given a larger role, he could blossom into an even better player than he is right now.
As he proved this past postseason, Nembhard is a tough shot taker and maker, and he’s more than capable of creating for himself and others. Not only that, but he’s a great defender, too. Having him on the floor more could help the Pacers improve on that end of the floor.
If there’s any player in the East who should be considered a sleeper to make the All-Star team, it’s Nembhard.
On top of that, TJ McConnell proved his worth during the playoffs, too. His contributions to winning basketball are undeniable, and with him on the floor, the Pacers have a constant mid-range threat on the roster.
Then there’s Bennedict Mathurin, who became one of the best foul-drawers in the playoffs last year. He could have a chance to break out next season, too.
Add in rookie Kam Jones, and there’s a good reason the Pacers are so confident in their ability to weather the storm while Halibuton is sidelined.