Spurs point guard of the future may have just signed an extension with Pacers
![Tre Jones, Andrew Nembhard Tre Jones, Andrew Nembhard](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3866,h_2174,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/29/01j3jstn108s4k9kx8pp.jpg)
If there's anything the San Antonio Spurs have shown fans, it's that they are very patient and are willing to allow things to fall into place over time. That's the whole point of building through the draft and the reason they have so many draft picks and pick swaps over the next 7 years. In this case, an exciting young player perfect for the Silver and Black is already in the league, but the timing for his acquisition just wasn't right. But that doesn't mean that it won't be.
"The Spurs will be one team to monitor for Nembhard moving forward after San Antonio registered trade interest in Nembhard this offseason."
— Josh Paredes (@Josh810) July 24, 2024
From Jake Fischer's latest: https://t.co/1nvR86MLyK pic.twitter.com/cjETQMK1Et
Andrew Nembhard could be a Spurs trade target a year or two down the line
Great things come to those who wait, and after how Nembhard performed in the NBA Playoffs, there was no way the Pacers were going to let him go. But the Spurs were right to check on his availability. The Gonzaga product stepped up in a major way when Indiana needed him most, helping to propel the team to the Eastern Conference Finals.
He only averaged 9 points per game in the regular season, but that number jumped to 15 in the postseason, while chipping in six assists per contest, and it was only his second year in the league. When Tyrese Haliburton was injured, he stepped up by dropping 32 and 24 points in back-to-back games. There's a real chance for him to be a star-level guard in this league someday.
The Pacers will find themselves running into the same problem other franchises face with the CBA rules penalizing overspending teams. Indiana is 22nd in the league in cap space currently and while they can clear $20 million next season by letting Myles Turner walk, it's hard to imagine they would want to lose him for nothing. Not to mention, they'll eventually have to pay Benedict Mathurin as he enters the third year of his rookie deal.
Andrew Nembhard signed a three-year extension with the Pacers for $59 million. It's a nice contract for a second-round pick, but Nembhard is banking on a bigger payday down the line. By the time he's ready for it, he may be out of Indiana's price range. The Spurs' smart dealings have allowed them to sit in a power position to wait and see what unfolds around the league because they have the assets to go after a target hard when they're ready.
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