The Indiana Pacers, off the heels of their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2014, have had an eventful offseason this summer.
At the beginning of the offseason, the Pacers re-signed Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin to long-term contracts in free agency. Additionally, they signed big man James Wiseman, who has the opportunity to turn his career around in Indiana and become an immediate contributor.
The Pacers also signed two of their top guards to contract extensions–Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell. Both of these contract extensions were no-brainers for everybody involved.
Nembhard had a fantastic second season and looks to be a major part of their long-term future. As for McConnell, his veteran presence and gritty playstyle has proved to be a major part of the Pacers’ success, especially off the bench. McConnell is considered agruably the best backup point guard in the NBA and has been great for the team since he joined in 2019.
Additionally, both Nembhard and McConnell had amazing playoff performances last season. Furthermore, they each showed up in a big way against the Boston Celtics in the conference finals, especially given Tyrese Haliburton’s absence in Games 3 and 4.
However, despite their solid campaign and great playoff run last season, there were some questions about the long-term role of each guard. With McConnell’s recent extension, we now have more clarity.
Andrew Nembhard will likely play the role of a secondary creator rather than a primary option
Nembhard is a fantastic player for the Pacers. The Canadian native can do it all on offense and has improved his defensive game over time. However, with McConnell set to be the long-term backup point guard in Indiana, it is fair to assume that Nembhard will play second fiddle to Haliburton rather than becoming a primary option.
McConnell is the leader of Indiana’s second unit, which is a role Nembhard will not have to assume. With the core of the Pacers’ bench unit solidified for the long haul, the team should commit to Nembhard as a secondary creator in the starting lineup next to Haliburton as opposed to a potential primary option.
Nembhard will have his chances to shine on the court regardless of whether Haliburton or McConnell is on the court. However, he will likely remain in a secondary role for the time being.
