Aaron Nesmith keeps looking like exactly what the Indiana Pacers need.
He showed it again Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, knocking down a clutch three that helped put the game out of reach. For a Pacers team that has already had a difficult start to the season, beating a Memphis squad that once led the Western Conference is a result worth taking seriously.
That kind of moment is why Nesmith matters so much to this roster. He gives Indiana the kind of spacing its best players need, and he does it without demanding the kind of upkeep that usually comes with higher-profile pieces. The Pacers also have him locked in for the next three years, which only adds to his value.
There was even a point this offseason when the idea was floated that Indiana couldn’t win a trade if Nesmith was involved. That was obviously an exaggeration - if the Pacers could somehow get Luka Doncic in return for their prized wing, they would make that move in a heartbeat - but the larger point stands. Players who can shoot, defend and fit anywhere are hard to find.
Nesmith fits that mold as cleanly as anyone.
The label “three-and-D” gets thrown around a lot these days, and it doesn’t always mean much anymore. Plenty of players get lumped into that category because they can theoretically handle both jobs, even if they’re not truly elite at either one.
Nesmith is different. He is a real shooter on solid volume, and he’s arguably the Pacers’ best perimeter defender on a team trying to compete near the top of the Eastern Conference.
That’s the sweet spot. Go much beyond that and you’re talking about a star, not a role player.
So if the conversation is about great role players, Nesmith belongs near the top of the list. And after the hamstring injury, he looks to be all the way back.
In Other News...
Pacers Suddenly Have More Riding On Noblesville Than Fans Realize
The Noblesville Boom are about to open their season, and for the Pacers, that means more than just a G League schedule getting underway. With injury issues already testing Indianas depth, the affiliate in Noblesville is becoming an even more important part of the organizations day-to-day planning, especially for players on two-way deals who may bounce between the two rosters all year.
Jalen Slawson, Kobe Brown and Braden Smith are among the names expected to spend most of their time with the Boom while still making occasional appearances for Indiana. For a Pacers team trying to stay afloat now while also building for what comes next, the G League program is no longer just a developmental side note. It is becoming a real pipeline, and what happens in Noblesville could matter more than fans might realize. [Read more 🡒]
Jarace Walker Is Becoming A Real Pacers Rotation Question
Jarace Walker has moved into a tricky spot for the Pacers, because the team needs dependable minutes from its role players and he has started to look more like a real part of the answer than a developmental afterthought. The 23-year-old forward is giving Indiana 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds a night, and the rebounding progress has been noticeable enough to keep him in the conversation as the season wears on.
The concern is that his overall production still comes with uneven stretches, and his shooting numbers are sitting at career lows. For a Pacers team leaning on depth in a difficult year, that kind of inconsistency makes Walker's place in the rotation feel less secure than it should be, especially with expectations around his growth only getting sharper from here. [Read more 🡒]