Days before the start of a new NBA season, the Pacers wrapped up their offseason by securing key pieces for the future — extending forward Aaron Nesmith, and picking up rookie-scale options on Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard.
Just days before the start of a new NBA season, the Indiana Pacers finished up their offseason with three player transactions.
First, they reached agreement with forward Aaron Nesmith on a two-year contract extension that nearly doubles his annual salary ($11 million) and keeps him under contract through the 2028-29 season.
That aligns his contract with that of Tyrese Haliburton, the face of the franchise. Nesmith gets long-term security in guarantees of more than $62 million over four years, and the Pacers lock in one of their starters who's just entering the prime of his career. Nesmith just turned 26 last week.
Nesmith is entering his fourth season with Indiana after being part of the trade that sent Malcolm Brogdon to Boston. He has continued to elevate his game each season, and now is a dependable two-way player.
Last season, Nesmith averaged 12 points per game on career-high shooting splits of 50.7% from the field, 43.1% from 3-point range and 91.3% at the foul line, while also adding four rebounds per game.
The Pacers now have Haliburton, Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembahrd, Obi Toppin, Isaiah Jackson, and Kam Jones under contract through the 2027-28 season.
But that's not all.
The front office then exercised the fourth-year team option on the rookie-scale contracts of Jarace Walker (8th pick, 2023) and Ben Sheppard (26th pick, 2023) before opening night in the NBA on Tuesday.
This move was expected — so it was just a formality. Of course, the Pacers want to lock in two of their bright, young players to a cheap fourth year while they can.
Next summer, they'll be eligible for a rookie-scale extension.
Both players are coming off injuries.
Walker suffered a right ankle injury in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Finals win over the New York Knicks. Sheppard sustained a calf strain last month while participating in the player's only mini-camp, hosted by Siakam at his home in Orlando, Fla.
And in the offseason, the Pacers awarded head coach Rick Carlisle with his second contract extension since his return in 2021. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it makes sense given the upward trend of the franchise since his arrival and the stability that he's provided.
It was exactly five years ago when the Pacers hired Nate Bjorkgren as head coach -- and lasted just eight months on the job. Everything has changed -- and for the better -- since Carlisle returned for his third stint with Indiana.
The Pacers open the new season at home on Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Scott Agness is the longest-tenured Pacers beat reporter. He enters his 14th season covering the team and he's been around The Fieldhouse since 2003. He runs Fieldhouse Files — covering the Pacers, Boom, and Fever — and hosts "The Fieldhouse Files Podcast."