Aaron Nesmith will be entering his third NBA season come October, but has yet to crack the Boston Celtics rotation, despite being drafted with the 14th overall pick in 2020.
However, the Vanderbilt product has done himself no favors this season, failing to build on an encouraging rookie season and Summer League showing. Nesmith is supposed to be a sharpshooter, he was billed as the best three-point threat in his draft class, but throughout the 52 games he participated in this past season, the sophomore wing converted just 27% of his three-point attempts.
“I’m not quite sure what happened this year, kinda need to take a mental break, take a step away. Get back to doing what I do at a high level. I think a lot of it is not physical, it’s mental. So, just being able to take a break from basketball for 10 days or two weeks will be very beneficial to me heading into next season…I’m still very confident in my shot, I’m a phenomenal shooter. I know that the team knows that, my coaches know that,” Nesmith said during his exit interview.
Since entering the league, Nesmith has shown flashes of his potential, but his inability to hit open catch-and-shoot jumpers has hindered his floor-time, and until he can prove those struggles are behind him, it’s unlikely he cracks the rotation outside of spot minutes.
Has Nesmith Been Miscast?
Outside of being a shooter, Nesmith has shown an ability to be impactful on the defensive end of the floor, primarily due to his effort levels and athleticism. The 22-year-old never gives up on a play, and can often be seen sprinting the length of the court to challenge a shot, often resulting in a block or shot alteration, and throughout the season, displayed a growing understanding of positional defense.
Loved this defensive possession from Aaron Nesmith. Fronts Griffin, then traps Griffin.
Hustles over to guard the second side action, X-ing out to recover defensive position at the strong-side corner.
As TLC drives, Nesmith cuts off the baseline and forces his man middle
Sure, everybody within an NBA rotation has to play defense, and that’s not where Nesmith’s struggles have been this season. However, throughout his first two years in the league, it has begun to look like labeling him as a shooter was miscasting his potential role at the next level. For example, Nesmith is converting 71.5% of his attempts at the rim, while also averaging 44.5% from mid-range – primarily due to his ability to beat his man off the dribble and attack the basket with pace.
Perhaps, Nesmith is more of a slasher at the NBA level, where shooting space is harder to come by, and the timing of your shot release is imperative. There’s nothing wrong with being a slasher, either – plenty of high-level rotation players have made a living off attacking close-outs and getting easy finishes around the rim.
If the South Carolina native doesn’t display a vastly improved perimeter jumper next season, it might be time to start adjusting his role within the rotation – either in Boston or elsewhere.
Time is Running Out for Nesmith
Once next season begins, Nesmith will be in the last guaranteed year of his rookie-scale deal, unless the Celtics pick up their team option, worth $5.6 million. However, if Nesmith fails to prove himself in the coming months, it’s unlikely Boston will burden themselves with an additional year of developing him.
If the Celtics do decide to move on from Nesmith, it will most likely be via trade, as other teams around the league may believe they can coax a new level out of the young wing – similar to what the San Antonio Spurs thought when taking Romeo Langford as part of the Derrick White deal.
Aaron Nesmith: “I know I could help this team if I did shoot the ball the way I usually do. I just need to get back to being that shooter.”
After losing to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, Boston will likely be looking to improve their bench unit over the off-season, which will only increase the competition for places. So, like it or not, this will be a make-or-break season for Nesmith’s time in a Celtics uniform.
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Aaron Nesmith Drops Truth Bomb on Celtics After Season of Struggles