With Tyrese Haliburton out, Andrew Nembhard will take on a much bigger role for the Indiana Pacers next season. However, he and the team must determine how he is going to balance offensive and defensive responsibilities, which may be too difficult a task to manage.
Nembhard has been a fantastic backcourt partner alongside Haliburton for a few years, and it's easy to see why. He complements the Wisconsin native's game incredibly well, largely because of his contributions on the defensive end. Additionally, though in a relatively limited capacity, the Canadian has proven that he can succeed as a primary ball-handler or as a secondary one when Haliburton is on the court.
Though he has established himself as a stout defender in Indiana, the Pacers now need Nembhard to run the offense and create plays next season. Because of this, he is likely going to struggle a bit defensively now that he is in line for the biggest offensive role of his career so far.
All eyes are on Andrew Nembhard next season
With Haliburton on the shelf and Myles Turner in Milwaukee, the Pacers are going to look drastically different compared to last season's NBA Finals team. However, there are no reasons to believe they will just tank. Instead, even if it's unlikely, Indiana will aim to remain competitive next season and make some noise in a wide-open Eastern Conference. As they look to make this a reality, they will need everybody on the team to turn it up another level, and arguably, nobody will be as important as Nembhard for the Pacers next season.
Nembhard has been a fantastic complementary piece in Indiana, but next season, he becomes the leader of the whole team as the full-time point guard for a season.
With Nembhard running the point for a year, it is safe to assume that the Pacers' offense will be a bit different. Instead of relying on fast-paced ball movement and improvisation like they do with Haliburton, Indiana may look to slow things down and run a more traditional offense with set plays in the half-court. This could be a good move to play to Nembhard's strengths while also adding a new dynamic to their offense for once Haliburton makes his return.
Arguably the most important Nembhard storyline to follow next season will be exactly how his game changes now that he is taking on a bigger offensive role. In order to preserve his energy, it would not be a surprise to see the Gonzaga alum's defense slip a bit.
Despite what many fans are expecting, the Pacers have a chance to make their presence felt in the East once again next season. They may not go on another deep playoff run, and it will be incredibly difficult for them to succeed without two of their most important players in recent years. Even so, if there is any team in the NBA that can shock the basketball world and go on a surprising run, it's the Pacers.
Indiana will have a lot of questions to answer next season, and they will have a great opportunity to experiment a bit with their roster to see what works for the long run. However, a lot of fans will make sure to monitor Nembhard specifically as he looks to help the Pacers remain competitive next season.