Indiana Pacers officially extend budding star to multi-year contract
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Indiana Pacers and guard Andrew Nembhard have agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $59 million.
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard has agreed on a three-year, $59 million contract extension, Todd Ramasar and Jaafar Choufani of @LifeSportsAgncy tell ESPN. Deal is maximum allowable over that term for one of the breakout players of the 2024 NBA playoffs. pic.twitter.com/N4dKUEX4YN
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 24, 2024
The Pacers drafted Nembhard in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft. Since then, the Canadian native has looked like a steal and is becoming an important part of the team's future.
In his two seasons with the Pacers, Nembhard has averaged 9.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Additionally, he has shot 46.7% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc in that time.
During the 2024 Playoffs, Nembhard enjoyed a breakout run. In 17 games, he averaged 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Furthermore, he shot 56% from the floor and 48.3% from the three-point line.
This includes his impressive Eastern Conference Finals performance, when he averaged 21 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in four game while shooting 54.1% from the field and 47.6% from beyond the arc.
The offseason up to this point has been a quiet one for the Pacers. Outside of drafting Johnny Furphy and signing James Wiseman, the team has made no external moves. However, in addition to Nembhard, the Pacers re-signed Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin to long-term deals this summer.
Andrew Nembhard now has his eyes set on the 2024 Olympics
The Pacers guard was selected to represent Team Canada during the 2024 Olympics. Recently, Nembhard spoke about the "surreal moment" of playing for his home country.
“It’s crazy. It’s a surreal moment, for sure. Something I thought I could do, but it’s nice to be able to say it, enjoy it, now.”
Furthermore, Team Canada teammate and Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray considers Nembhard "very underrated" and spoke about how "excited' he is to play alongside him this summer.
Jamal Murray called his Canadian teammate Andrew Nembhard one of his favourite players in the NBA right now. “Very underrated… He can lead a group better than people give him credit for, so I’m excited to play alongside of him”
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) July 10, 2024
The 2024 Olympics will be a great time for the 24-year-old to further showcase his talents to the world. Nembhard has consistently improved throughout his two NBA seasons and has proven he can help the Pacers take their game to the next level.
A long-term commitment was a no-brainer for both sides as the Pacers look to become serious title contenders in the near future. For now, though, Nembhard is aiming to bring a gold medal to his country, something they have never done in the men's basketball team's history.
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