Indiana Pacers To Sign Rookie Andrew Nembhard To Four-Year Contract

The Indiana Pacers drafted point guard Andrew Nembhard with the first pick in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft. Now, roughly one month later, the team is set to ink the 22-year old to a four-year contract.

The deal features three years of guaranteed money totaling near $6.4 million, and the final season of the contract contains a team option. If exercised, the former Gonzaga Bulldog could earn roughly $8.6 million over the life of the deal.

“This is a special guy,” Arizona Men’s Basketball head coach Tommy Lloyd, who was an assistant coach at Gonzaga during Nembhard’s junior season, said of the playmaking guard.

Nembhard was the 31st pick in June’s draft — he was chosen one spot after the first round ended. This contract reflects his draft slot well, Nembhard technically has more guaranteed money in his contract than the 30th pick in the draft — Peyton Watson — but is scheduled to make roughly $500k less than Watson during the first three seasons of their deals. So Nembhard will be paid slightly less per season than a late first-round pick, but he will receive an extra year of guaranteed salary.

The deal also shows how much Indiana believes in Nembhard. According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, this contract contains the most guaranteed money ever for a collegiate player drafted in the second round. A three-year (at least) commitment from the Pacers is significant, too. Most players chosen after the first round do not have three seasons of their contract fully guaranteed — the 35th overall pick, Max Christie, only received a two-year agreement from the Los Angeles Lakers, for example.

Indiana had Nembhard in their facilities for a pre-draft workout on June 15. Head coach Rick Carlisle has gushed about the Canadian guard’s feel for the game and playmaking abilities, two skills that will help a young Pacers team as Nembhard develops.

Nembhard played in all five games for Indiana during NBA Summer League action. He averaged 6.6 points and a team-high 5.0 assists per game in the contests, including a seven point, six rebound, nine assist performance against the Washington Wizards. He positively impacted several areas of the game.

“He’s a guy that I think people are going to be really impressed with,” Lloyd said of Nembhard. “He has an ability to play with really good players and make the game easier for them.”

The option year at the end of the contract could end up being significant for Indiana in the 2025 offseason. If the Pacers decline Nembhard’s team option three years from now, they could then submit a qualifying offer and make him a restricted free agent. Doing so would give Indiana match rights on any deal the young guard were to sign that offseason. If Nembhard pops for the blue and gold, the franchise has mechanisms in place to keep him in the Circle City.

A longer contract gives Nembhard time to grow into a backup point guard for Indiana. The Pacers have Tyrese Haliburton locked up as their starter for the foreseeable future, and T.J. McConnell will soak up the backup minutes in the coming season. But as Nembhard improves and McConnell’s contract comes to an end, the younger Canadian guard should get more playing time and improve as a player. He has multiple years to grow into his role.

The Pacers, a rebuilding team that is far from playoff contention, look to be in development mode heading into the 2022-23 season, and that situation is perfect for a young ball handler like Nembhard. If the Gonzaga product can become a rotation player for the blue and gold in the next three years, this contract will be a success for both sides.