INDIANAPOLIS – Aaron Nesmith’s stellar postseason run earned him a contract extension.
The two-year deal will keep him with the Indiana Pacers through the 2028-2029 season. ESPN reported the extension is worth $40.4 million. The deal came just ahead of the deadline for veteran extensions.
Nesmith is one of Indiana’s top defenders, often tasked with guarding some of the NBA’s best players. He’s also a capable scorer, averaging 12 points per game. Last season, he posted career-best marks in field goal percentage (50.7%), three-point percentage (43.1%) and free throw percentage (91.3%).
Nesmith was a core member of the Pacers team that advanced to the NBA Finals.
He shot even better from distance during the playoffs (49.2%) and memorably brought the Pacers back to life in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks, burying a barrage of three pointers to help send the game into overtime. He finished the night with 30 points in the improbable comeback win.
Nesmith started all 23 games of Indiana’s NBA Finals run. He missed 35 games during the regular season with a sprained ankle and enters this year’s campaign as the starting small forward.
Nesmith has quietly become one of the league’s top two-way players. The Boston Celtics made him the No. 14 overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, but the Vanderbilt standout didn’t see much action while playing behind stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The Pacers, however, saw something in Nesmith and acquired him via trade in 2022. He’s become an essential player, drawing tough defensive assignments and coming through in key moments on both ends of the court.
The Pacers tip off the regular season on Thursday against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.