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When the Boston Celtics traded for Malcolm Brogdon, Aaron Nesmith was one of the players heading in the opposite direction.
A lottery pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Nesmith came into the league with the reputation of a sharpshooter but was unable to live up to the high expectations placed upon his shoulders, as he tried to battle his way into a regular rotation spot on a contending Boston team.
Now, however, Nesmith will have plenty more opportunities to prove he belongs at the NBA level, as he will be part of the rebuilding Indiana Pacers rotation, and has already gotten to work, participating in their July 12 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Summer League.
Speaking to the media following Nesmith’s Pacers Summer League debut, the former Celtics wing discussed being part of the Brogdon trade, noting how the move caught him off guard.
“I was completely caught off guard. I was golfing. I was on the sixth hole, was playing pretty decent, and messed my day up, I played one more hole and called it a day…Brad (called me), he said he appreciated my time there, he believed in me, and this would be a great opportunity for me moving forward,” Nesmith said when asked about being traded.
In his first Summer League game for Indiana, Nesmith went four-of-ten from the field, and two-of-five from the perimeter, finishing the game with 12 points, also grabbing 7 rebounds and garnering two steals.
Ronald Nored ‘Really Impressed’ by Nesmith’s Debut
Despite Nesmith having no time to train with the Pacers Summer League team, or build relationships with the coaching staff and his future teammates, the third-year wing was a willing participant against the Pistons.
Of course, not everything went perfectly for Nesmith, as he did register four turnovers in twenty-five minutes, but given he hasn’t grasped their system yet, that can be forgiven. However, it would seem that the Vanderbilt product has impressed Ronald Nored – the Pacers Summer League coach, as he spoke glowingly about Nesmith following the July 12 contest.
“He hasn’t even been able to practice or do anything, so he’s joining a group he hasn’t been able to spend any time with. He’s picked up on pretty much everything we’re doing, I think his experience of playing minutes in the NBA already, has helped him…He’s itching to play, and it’s always exciting when you have a guy like that, that wants to play, that’s ready to play, and I think he did a good job,” Nored told CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning following the July 12 contest.
Nesmith Took a Break Following Celtics End of Season
After a tough sophomore season, where Nesmith’s three-point shooting regressed by a significant margin, it was clear his position within the roster could come under threat. However, during his exit interview, following Boston’s game six loss to the Golden State Warriors, the three-and-d wing explained how he was aiming to take a short break from basketball.
“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 told the media.
With Nesmith now in Indiana, he’s going to get a fresh opportunity to rediscover his best form and prove that he can become a genuine three-and-d threat off the bench. Hopefully, Nesmith took a short break and that has allowed him to enter the new off-season with a renewed will to improve and earn a rotation spot.
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