Andrew Nembhard stands out with point guard play during NBA Summer League action for Indiana Pacers
LAS VEGAS — It didn't take long for Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard to show off his talent level in Las Vegas during NBA Summer League.
In his first game, Nembhard finished with 14 points and eight assists. He controlled the pace for Indiana, manipulated the defense, and guarded effectively. The Pacers fared well with him on the court and took down the Washington Wizards. Nembhard looked fantastic.
"I told (Pacers General Manager) Chad [Buchanan] and (President of Basketball Operations) [Kevin Pritchard] after the first game, 'you can send Andrew home. He don't need to be here'. He looks really good," Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton said of Nembhard's opening Summer League performance.
Two days later, he did it again. Against the Orlando Magic, the point guard had 21 points and seven assists in another win. At every turn, he looked too good for Summer League, which is an encouraging sign as he heads into year two.
The former second-round pick got to his spots with ease. He set up the offense and executed sets. On defense, he shut down his man and made life easier on his teammates. The skills that he showed as a rookie were all there, and he displayed more on-ball capabilities at the same time. It was a great trip to Vegas for the 23-year old.
"He's played great," Pacers Summer League head coach Jannero Pargo said. "Just a comfort level having him out there with the ball. He makes the right reads, makes the right plays. Keeps us settled. Gets us into offense."
That was a key focus for Nembhard — getting his team set up and organized. He spent some of the offseason trying to get better at reading the game and not rushing things, and being the lead ball handler allowed him to do that.
It also gave him valuable reps as a point guard. Nembhard played some at the one as a rookie, but with Haliburton on the roster, he played off the ball often. That allowed him to get on the court, and his defense still made him an important piece. But he is more naturally a floor general.
The young guard thinks it's important that he gets more reps with the ball in his hand since he didn't get as many last year. It is helpful for both his outlook and fit with the Pacers as well as his long-term growth.
"I think it was just good for me to keep getting reps. Keep playing ball screens, keep having the ball in my hand," Nembhard said. Haliburton agreed that the reps are important. "Naturally he's a point guard, and he looked really, really good," the All-Star shared.
Nembhard played in Summer League this year largely for those reps at point guard. He shared as much in an interview on NBA TV during the Pacers battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He wanted to support his younger teammates and build chemistry, too, but more time as the lead ball handler was important for Nembhard.
He had some turnovers he will want back, but other than that, he consistently looked comfortable and effective. Getting to his spots was easy. Setting up his teammates was effortless. Running the offense came naturally. Nembhard didn't look like a player who spent much of his first season on the wing — his usage rate last season was 16.1%.
In Vegas, he had the ball often and made plays. And he defended well, too. In his two outings, Nembhard finished with four steals and a block, which led to transition opportunities. That's how the Pacers want to play when the regular season comes around.
"100%. Game is slowing down," Nembhard said of things coming easier for him now. It was clear that he was processing the game faster than other players on the floor in his Summer League minutes.
Nembhard has been watching film all summer in an attempt to read defenses better. In his first tests to show that he is improving in that area, he passed with flying colors. He's also been working on his jumper, and more specifically his catch-and-shoot skills. He went 2/9 from deep in Las Vegas, a sample too small to take anything away from even though Nembhard certainly would have liked to do better. He canned 57.1% of his two-point shots and didn't miss a free throw, which lifted his efficiency.
"I love his game," Pacers rookie Jarace Walker said of Nembhard. "Offensively, defensively. He's a pest. Ball mover. Never takes bad shots. I feel like he's a really solid point guard."
Nembhard thinks the young and growing Pacers will win more games this coming season. That is one of the stated goals of the organization, and numerous people have shared that they want to make the playoffs in 2023-24. Winning is a goal for everyone.
If Nembhard is better as a ball handler and can play both off the ball next to Haliburton and on the ball as his backup, that will make Indiana a better team. He knows that, and while it may mean fewer minutes for T.J. McConnell, it could be the best thing for the Pacers long term.
"Continue to further my game and do whatever the team needs me to do to win," Nembhard said of what he is looking forward to doing next year while being interviewed on NBA TV. He took positive steps toward doing that for the Pacers in Summer League.
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