Aaron Nesmith, the Indiana Pacers forward, has secured a lucrative three-year, $33 million contract extension for this season, marking a significant moment in his career. Now in his fourth season, Nesmith aims to demonstrate his consistency and build upon his performance from the previous season.
In a recent game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Nesmith showcased his skills by scoring a career-high 26 points in the Pacers’ 125-113 victory. He made a notable impact in just 30 minutes off the bench, also contributing nine rebounds while shooting an impressive 10-for-16 from the field, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.
After the game, Nesmith shared his thoughts on social media, highlighting the irony of a post from July 1, 2022, that humorously suggested the Boston Celtics hadn’t given up much in their trade for Malcolm Brogdon, which ultimately led to Nesmith’s move to the Indiana Pacers. He posted the image with the caption “It aged well, didn’t it?” on his Instagram story.
Nesmith was initially chosen as the 14th overall pick by the Celtics in the 2020 draft but struggled to secure a consistent spot in the rotation during his first two seasons. His departure from the Celtics came as part of the trade for Brogdon, where the Celtics also included their 2023 first-round pick, Daniel Theis, and other players to match salaries.
Now, Nesmith has embraced a valuable role coming off the bench for the Pacers, as they aim to make a run for the play-in tournament. While their win against the Cavaliers was a positive step, it’s worth noting that Cleveland was missing key players like Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Darius Garland.
Nesmith is coming off a successful season where he appeared in a career-high 73 games, with 60 starts, averaging 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. With the contract extension providing long-term security, he now looks to further develop and improve upon his impressive stats from the past year.
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