With Tyrese Haliburton out for the year and Myles Turner gone, there was a lot of discussion about how the Indiana Pacers were going to generate offense. It was obvious that Pascal Siakam was going to become an even bigger focal point for the team offensively, but there were some question marks behind him.
Bennedict Mathurin immediately started Indiana's first two games at shooting guard, but he suffered a toe injury very early in the season and still doesn't have a timetable for his return. And Obi Toppin, who only appeared in three games to begin the season, suffered a foot injury and will likely be out of action until at least February.
Andrew Nembhard is another player worth keeping an eye on. But as he looks to try to replicate Haliburton's value as a playmaker, while also playing a crucial defensive role, he may have too much on his plate to be a consistent and efficient scorer night in and night out.
This is where Aaron Nesmith comes in.
The Pacers know they can trust him. He's been a fantastic addition to the team since they acquired him from the Boston Celtics in 2022, and he may be coming off the best season of his career thanks to his incredible postseason performance. However, as the team's second option amid all their injuries, the Vanderbilt alum struggled greatly.
Unfortunately for him and the team, while he quickly turned things around, he suffered a knee injury on Thursday night against the Phoenix Suns at the worst possible time.
Aaron Nesmith was playing his role perfectly
In his first five games of the season, Nesmith averaged 11 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1 assist while shooting 29% from the field and 34.2% from beyond the arc.
The South Carolina native struggled for a variety of reasons. First, he has arguably been the biggest beneficiary of Haliburton's presence since joining the team. The star guard is elite at playmaking, passing, and facilitating. He can set up his teammates perfectly while pushing the tempo and limiting turnovers. And because of how dangerous Nesmith is as a catch-and-shoot threat, the duo works seamlessly together.
However, without Haliburton on the court, there has been a lot more pressure on Nesmith to create his own shots, which is something he hasn't had to rely on throughout his NBA career.
On top of this, outside of Siakam, he quickly became the Pacers' only real offensive weapon following the injuries to all their top players. This made it much easier for defenses to key in on him and make life tough for him.
But, due to a combination of Indiana getting healthier and Nesmith gaining more confidence, he figured it out and looked like the great 3-and-D player fans have become accustomed to.
In his first five games of November, Nesmith averaged 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 43.4% from the field and 40.5% from deep.
The 26-year-old was looking fantastic on the court again and making a big impact. It wasn't translating to wins for the Pacers (though this could ultimately be a good thing), but it was still a welcoming sign regardless.
This season has already been a devastating one for Indiana, and it looks like things are going to get worse before they get better following Nesmith's injury.