Andrew Nembhard contract details, grade: Pacers lock up postseason hero on bargain deal
The 2024 NBA season was an unprecedented success for the Indiana Pacers. With little expectations from NBA experts, the Pacers ended up reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were swept by the eventual NBA Champion Boston Celtics.
Keep in mind, this was a team that finished 47-35 and as the sixth seed in the East. Making the Conference Finals solidifies it as a successful postseason, especially defeating the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks in their playoff journey.
Andrew Nembhard secures new contract after Pacers playoff herioics
One of the Pacers unsung heroes from the 2024 postseason, was guard Andrew Nembhard. Due to his play, both Indiana and Nembhard have agreed to a three-year, $59 million contract extension, first reported by Life Sports Agency.
With Andrew Nembhard’s extension not kicking in until 2025, the Pacers have their breakout guard under contract for $61 million over the next four years:
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 24, 2024
2024-25 = $2.0 million
2025-26 = $18.1 million
2026-27 = $19.6 million
2027-28 = $21.0 million
A massive steal for Indiana. pic.twitter.com/6OEBNsGFqf
After averaging 9.2 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game, Nembhard played out of his mind in the postseason. In the 2024 playoffs, he finished with improved stats across the board. He finished the postseason averaging 14.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. Those numbers made him the fourth leading scorer on the team in the postseason (behind Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Haliburton, and Myles Turner), and second in assists (behind Haliburton). Though the most impressive stat of them all was his shooting 56 percent from the field in the postseason.
It was a very impressive postseason and now Nembhard has quickly been rewarded for his exceptional play in the playoffs. He became a breakout star for the team late last season.
As a team who aspires to be a playoff contender for the future, keeping their young key players will be essential. Nembhard was drafted in the 2022 NBA Draft with the No. 31 overall selection, and has already become a staple for the Pacers development in just two NBA seasons.
For those that didn't get to see much of Nembhard's playoff burst this past postseason, he will be playing for Team Canada at the upcoming Paris Olympics that begin this Sunday. This contract extension will provide some extra motivation for Nembhard who will have a few extra eyes on him, and he will surely want to prove that the Pacers extended him for a bargain.
Andrew Nembhard contract grade: A
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