Aaron Nesmith cleared to make his Pacers debut at summer league on Tuesday
The 2020 lottery pick was acquired in a trade with the Celtics for Malcolm Brogdon.
LAS VEGAS — The Pacers will have a new player in uniform Tuesday night for their third summer league game.
Aaron Nesmith, who was acquired from the Celtics in the six-player deal that sent Malcolm Brogdon to Boston, is eligible to play because that trade has now been completed. The deal was agreed upon on July 1.
They will play the Detroit Pistons at 9:00 p.m. ET inside Cox Pavilion.
The Pacers-Celtics trade is a complicated situation because the teams announced the trade on Saturday and it was recognized by the NBA’s official transaction log. But ultimately, Brogdon needed to pass his physical with the Celtics; that was the hangup. And considering his injury history, it presumably was more thorough that the average player.
Nesmith attended Pacers practice on Monday in Las Vegas, but what waiting for the go ahead from the front office to participate. Brogdon passed his physical and was introduced by the Celtics Tuesday morning in Boston.
Nesmith is a 6-foot-5 wing from Vanderbilt. He was the 14th overall pick in 2020, taken after new teammates Jalen Smith at 10 and Tyrese Haliburton at 12.
He appeared in 52 games last season with the Celtics, his second year in the NBA. But they have depth on the wing with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and they lost in the NBA Finals.
That left Nesmith with a limited opportunity for minutes and a regular opportunity. The Pacers, who lack depth on the wing, offer both as they’re now a rebuilding team.
The Summer Pacers, coached by Ronald Nored, are 1-1 ahead of their third game Tuesday against the Pistons.
Purdue guard Jaden Ivey, drafted one spot ahead of Bennedict Mathurin, is not expected to play after he rolled his ankle badly in the first five minutes of their game on Saturday.
