Coming off an incredibly heroic 2025 playoff run, Aaron Nesmith has cashed in. On Monday night, on the eve of the start of the 2025-26 season, the Indiana Pacers reportedly came to terms on a two-year, $40.4 million contract extension with their starting small forward, as per Shams Charania of ESPN.
Nesmith still had two years left on his current deal at $11 million per annum, but the Pacers have clearly identified him as a crucial member of the team's core and, in turn, rewarded him financially. He has made plenty of strides in his game and has emerged as one of the best 3-and-D wings in the entire NBA.
In 23 games during the Pacers' run to the NBA Finals last season, Nesmith put up 12.7 points per game on 49 percent shooting from deep on over five attempts per ballgame. He will forever be remembered in Pacers lore for the way he rescued the team in Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers were down by double digits in the dying minutes of the game before Nesmith went on a heater — drilling five triples in the span of less than three minutes and scoring 17 points during that time frame to rescue Indiana from a 14-point deficit, setting up a game-tying shot at the buzzer from Tyrese Haliburton to force overtime, eventually leading to a dub for Indy.
The 26-year-old wing also has the responsibility of guarding the opponent's best wing scorer, and having him around clearly has a winning impact on the Pacers. Last year, the Pacers went 29-16 with him in the lineup and 21-16 without him. He is the epitome of a winning player, and he is only 26 years of age and in the prime of his career, making him well worth this new contract extension he received.
Pacers to run it back in '26-'27
If only Haliburton did not rupture his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, then the Pacers would be considered one of the biggest favorites to win a title heading into the 2025-26 season. Alas, his injury changes everything for Indiana, and Myles Turner's departure in free agency won't help matters whatsoever.
Nonetheless, the Pacers are at least looking to retain most of the core members of their 2025 NBA Finals team. Keeping Nesmith in town for the next four seasons is going to be huge considering how every title-contending team needs a player like him to win big. Bennedict Mathurin is up for a huge contract as well, although Indiana will be letting him go to restricted free agency ahead of what could be a big year for the fourth-year swingman out of Arizona.
