Aaron Nesmith spent Indiana’s long offseason trying to come back sharper in every way that mattered.
After a 19-win season that left the Pacers near the bottom of the league, the wing said he used the time to get his body right, clean up his ball handling and decision-making, and get ready for games that actually count again. He made those comments Monday night at Victory Field before the Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic, according to reporting by Alex Golden of Indiana Pacers On SI.
“It was good getting a long offseason and getting the body right,” Nesmith said. “Working on some things we need to work on and just the excitement of getting back to playing meaningful games again.”
Nesmith’s season was interrupted by a neck injury, and he wound up appearing in 45 games. In that stretch, he averaged 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 41.4% from the field and 37.9% from three. He also missed at least seven straight games during that injury run.
The Pacers finished 2025-26 at 19-63, which was second-worst in the NBA and 14th in the Eastern Conference. Nesmith’s focus this summer, he said, was on slowing things down and making better reads with the ball in his hands.
“I think it allows us to do more and try some different things,” Nesmith explained. “And just keep the scheme the same with the first and second units.”
Indiana’s offseason has also brought a few notable roster moves around him. Kelly Oubre Jr. signed a two-year, $16.5 million deal through the non-taxpayer mid-level exception after averaging 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists for Philadelphia last season. He shot 46.7% overall and 36.0% from deep, and started in at least 41 games in each of his three seasons with the team.
The Pacers also added Larry Nance Jr. on a one-year minimum contract after waiving Micah Potter.
Rick Carlisle is projecting a starting group of Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Nesmith, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac. Jarace Walker is expected to handle backup small forward minutes, with Oubre also in that mix.
There’s been plenty of change around that projected core. Haliburton missed 14 months after tearing his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Myles Turner left for Milwaukee on a four-year, $108.9 million contract. In February, Bennedict Mathurin was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Zubac and Kobe Brown.
An Indiana front office executive told Keith Smith of Spotrac in Las Vegas last month that the plan had always been to run it back, and that Oubre turned down other offers to join the Pacers.
Monday’s softball event was the first Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic, with Haliburton and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones serving as captains. The proceeds supported Drive & Dish, the food-insecurity program Carlisle started.
The Pacers’ camp report is dated September 29. Their season opens October 21 in New Orleans, with Dallas coming to Gainbridge Fieldhouse two nights later.
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