Indiana Pacers rookie Andrew Nembhard showing off sharp passing through two preseason games

Andrew Nembhard was supposed to come back in for a pre-draft exercise with the Indiana Pacers in late Might, however climate hurdles acquired in the way in which. As an alternative, the staff rescheduled the exercise for mid-June, and with simply eight days remaining earlier than the NBA Draft, the Gonzaga product made it to the Circle Metropolis. The Pacers wished to see him.

The exercise went effectively, and simply over one week later Nembhard was a Pacer. Indiana selected the 22-year previous guard with the thirty first total decide — the primary choice of the second spherical. They needed to sweat via the late picks within the first spherical to seize him, however all the pieces labored out because the blue and gold had hoped. They acquired one among their guys.

The Pacers are constructing a degree guard rotation that options a number of, taller creators. Tyrese Haliburton runs the present, and he is a six-foot-five-inch distributor. Andrew Nembhard is the backup of the longer term (although he is behind T.J. McConnell for now), and he too is a taller creator — the rookie is roughly the identical top as Haliburton.

The dimensions of Nembhard permits him to see over defenders and hearth the ball into passing lanes that shorter guards cannot. It additionally permits him to skate into the lane and full passes in tight angles across the basket. His dimension is a bonus, and it is one which the Pacers like.

In summer time league, these expertise have been on show when Nembhard led the staff with 5.0 assists per recreation throughout 5 video games. He was the most effective playmaker for the blue and gold out in Vegas, which gives an important baseline for progress in NBA competitors.

Thus far, he is saved that up in preseason play. In two appearances in NBA exhibitions to this point, Nembhard has six assists — three in every recreation — in about 25 minutes of taking part in time. He is been discovering his teammates effectively.

“Nembhard was actual strong,” head coach Rick Carlisle stated after the Pacers beat the Hornets. The rookie guard completed with eight factors, two rebounds, three assists, and maybe most significantly, zero turnovers.

This season, Nembhard seemingly will not be within the Pacers rotation too usually. He tasks to be behind Haliburton and the veteran McConnell within the pecking order at level guard, and he does not slot in naturally at every other place. Nembhard might spend most of this season creating, with the thought being that he could possibly be a rotation participant in 2023 or so. He did signal a 4 12 months contract this offseason.

Regardless that he will not play in high-leverage conditions, Nembhard can nonetheless develop this season in a gifted level guard room. He’ll get alternatives when there are accidents in addition to in rubbish time. These preseason video games supply the rookie an opportunity to play in opposition to among the NBA’s finest gamers — on Friday in New York, he obtained taking part in time within the second quarter and was guarding the gifted Jalen Bruson.

That evening, Nembhard completed with 5 factors, one rebound, and three assists. He additionally canned his first three-pointer of the preseason, which is a crucial ability to observe as he develops.

All issues thought of, it has been an excellent preseason to this point for the rookie. Thus far, all six of his assists have come after he dribbled the ball and manipulated the protection, which is an indication of his talents directing visitors as a degree guard.

“I assumed Nembhard performed effectively within the fourth quarter,” Carlisle stated on Wednesday after the Pacers beat the Hornets.

Nembhard has struggled on the defensive facet of the ball, as rookies do. And he is 6/15 from the sector throughout the 2 exhibitions. It hasn’t all been rainbows for the Gonzaga product to this point, and there is loads of growth that also must occur.

However via two video games, Nembhard has excelled on the expertise that he has been praised for main as much as the marketing campaign. The Pacers will hope his passing continues to develop, after which different expertise proper together with it.

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