Aaron Nesmith has been an important part of the Indiana Pacers' success for a few years now. But maybe his spot in their starting lineup shouldn't be safe. Or at the very least, that's what Alex Golden of the "Setting the Pace" podcast suggests.
"I know Aaron Nesmith has been awesome, don't get me wrong, but if you have a chance to upgrade over that and make him your sixth max. That, to me, is the way to go. I still believe that firmly," Golden said.
Could the Pacers bench Aaron Nesmith next season?
In short, probably not. However, Golden isn't completely wrong in his thinking.
It was always expected that just about everybody on Indiana's roster would take a step back without Tyrese Haliburton on the court. But the player who may have been the most negatively impacted by the two-time All-Star's absence seems to be Nesmith.
Through 24 games this season, the Vanderbilt alum has averaged 13.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 30.2 minutes. Additionally, he is shooting just 35.2% from the field (career low) and 34.1% from deep (second-lowest of career).
Nesmith has developed into a great 3-and-D player during his time with the Pacers. However, he has always been more of a catch-and-shoot threat, not a bucket-getter who can create his own shot. And without Haliburton setting him up, it has made life incredibly more difficult for the South Carolina native.
In theory, the Pacers should be open to any and all possibilities regarding their lineup and overall roster construction moving forward. They will look to re-enter the title picture as soon as next year, and if they are serious about being legitimate contenders, they need to put together the best team possible.
If all of that means that it's in Indiana's best interest to bench Nesmith and replace him with someone from this year's draft (i.e., someone like BYU's AJ Dybantsa), then so be it. However, whether that truly is the right call remains to be seen.
On one hand, Nesmith is having a poor offensive campaign, but there are plenty of reasons to believe he will turn things around once Haliburton comes back next season. Additionally, because of the impact he makes everywhere else on the court (particularly defensively), he is a great fit in Indiana's lineup because he can complement players like Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Andrew Nembhard.
However, this year's draft is also supposed to be a loaded one. Any of Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, or Caleb Wilson would be a tremendous addition for the Pacers. And, to be frank, it might be tough to justify drafting one of them so high only to leave them on the bench. In that case, Nesmith might be the odd man out.
The Pacers will have to make a Nesmith decision sooner than they may realize. There is no doubt that he should stick around for the long haul, but should he be the team's long-term starting small forward? Only time will tell.