INDIANAPOLIS — Last week, the Indiana Pacers made a major move in the offseason by extending guard Andrew Nembhard’s contract.
The new deal for the 24-year-old was announced last Friday and is a three-year extension worth $58.6 million. This represents a substantial increase for Nembhard, who had previously earned no more than $2.4 million per season.
This extension is a significant achievement for the Pacers. Nembhard, who is still just 24, has shown considerable promise in his two years in the league. He was instrumental in helping the Pacers reach the Eastern Conference Finals last year.
In the NBA, starting guards and young talent come at a premium. For comparison, Malik Monk and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope both secured multi-year deals averaging over $19.5 million annually this offseason, and they play Nembhard’s position. Similarly, Patrick Williams, another young player, signed a contract worth $18 million per year.
With his new extension, Nembhard is now under contract for a total of four years and $60.7 million, averaging just over $15 million per season for a skilled, young two-way guard.
“Andrew has shown that he can handle any challenge and consistently rises to the occasion,” said the Pacers President of Basketball Operations in a statement.
However, the details of Nembhard’s deal are slightly nuanced. To facilitate the extension, the Pacers declined a previous team option in his contract for the 2025-26 season, which was valued at $2.2 million. By foregoing this option and extending his contract, Nembhard will see a pay increase of approximately $16 million for the upcoming season.
