Indiana Pacers exit interviews: Aaron Nesmith got the opportunity he needed to become an every day player
Aaron Nesmith didn't play much during his first two seasons in the NBA. Nesmith was with the title hopeful Boston Celtics, and he played just 14.5 minutes per game as a rookie and 11.0 minutes per game in his second year. Across both seasons, he played 98 total games.
Despite being a lottery pick, the Celtics and Nesmith's timelines just never overlapped. The most consecutive regular season games Nesmith played in for Boston was 15, and even that stretch featured five games with under 13 total minutes. There just wasn't playing time available for the young wing.
Then, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers, who are on a rebuilding timeline and can afford to be more patient with young players. Suddenly, Nesmith had more opportunities and took off. He played in 73 games for the blue and gold and averaged just shy of 25 minutes per game. He started 60 times and often drew the praise of head coach Rick Carlisle. He had three different stretches where he played in more than 15 straight games (22, 21, and 16).
Altogether, Nesmith had more playing time with Indiana, and he had consistent chances. That is exactly what he needed.
"It helped a lot," Nesmith said of the opportunities. "Just being able to learn for 82 games what kind of player I can be in this league, how I can impact teams and impact winning. It was very helpful and it was a lot of fun."
Nesmith took steps forward on both ends of the floor. Offensively, his three-point shot stabilized after a rocky 2021-22 season, and his shot profile became much more reasonable for his skill set. He added a few one or two dribble moves and proved to be a powerful cutter when needed. Nesmith is still very much a role player on offense, but he can be trusted when the ball comes his way.
Defensively, he was far and away the Pacers best wing option. His athleticism and ability to move well in a stance make him hard to get by in isolation, and he often drew the toughest opponent as his matchup. Nesmith can guard multiple positions, too, which was valuable for Indiana's lineup versatility. He needs to improve his closeouts and foul rate, but in general, he is an above average defender who will always have a role as a result.
"You can try and simulate game reps as much as possible in practice and in your workouts, but it will never replace the real thing," Nesmith said at his exit interview with the media last month. "Getting these game reps was monumental for me. It's been a whole bunch of fun all year."
Now that Nesmith has a season under his belt with the Pacers, and a full NBA campaign with consistent chances, he can better prepare for the offseason. It is more clear what he needs to add to his game and what skills he needs to improve, especially if he is going to have his minutes balloon even further.
Two things that the forward said he wants to work on are his ball handling and defense. Better defense is a must for every Pacer, but Nesmith is already a step ahead of some of his teammates on that end. Becoming a true wing stopper would be helpful for the blue and gold.
Offensively, Nesmith did have moments where his handle was loose, so improving that skill should benefit him. At a minimum, it will give him a counter if he is run off the three-point line.
Those abilities will help Nesmith become more of the player he wants to be, and he described that role at his exit interview. "Be a high level three-and-D guy," he said. He wants to be a defensive anchor and take on hard roles on that end of the floor.
That is an uncommon desire from players, but Indiana will be glad to hear it. Every team could use multiple capable wings, and Nesmith appears to be one for the blue and gold.
Finally having consistent opportunities and minutes allowed Nesmith to prove that he belonged. Being traded was great for his career. "It was a good year for me," he said. The 23-year old averaged 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Now, with a clear offseason plan, Nesmith will hope to add to that good year. If he does, he could see his role and his number of chances grow once again in 2023-24.
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