Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (knee) will rejoin the action on Wednesday versus Chicago. He's back after missing one game with a bruised knee. Nesmith's form has been a bit up and down lately, but he's still had a decent month by posting 10.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks. Meeting a defensively mediocre team like the Bulls could help Nesmith break out of his shooting slump -- the 24-year-old has hit only 40.8 percent of his shots in March.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (quadriceps) could come out of the lineup again on Tuesday versus Dallas. He's played the last two games after returning from an ankle sprain, but Nesmith is now dealing with a bruise on his left quadriceps. Nesmith has been a good glue guy for the Pacers in the starting unit, registering 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals across the season. Bennedict Mathurin had a run as a starter during his most recent absence and appears poised to fill Nesmith's spot again if he's unavailable. The 2024 NBA Rookie Challenge MVP has finally found some consistency lately and boasts solid numbers as a starter, with 15.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists.

On Friday, Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) will be in the lineup against the New Orleans Pelicans. The 24-year-old hasn't played tending to a right ankle sprain in the team's last four games. Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin have been a part of the starting five. With Nesmith in, Nembhard will likely move to the bench. In 51 games, Nesmith averages 12.6 points and 1.4 assists while playing 27.1 minutes per contest this season.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) has been tagged as questionable against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. The 24-year-old wing hasn't played in the team's last four games while he tends to a sprained right ankle, and he may be forced to miss a fifth. He'll likely test it out during shootaround and warmup to see if he can fully give it a go. Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin have joined the starting five in his absence and have both contributed some solid stat lines. Nembhard would be the more likely candidate to move to the bench once Nesmith returns, but for now, they're both solid fantasy plays regardless of the league or format.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) is regarded as questionable for Wednesday's tilt against New Orleans. He would be out for a fourth straight game if Nesmith can't return from a right ankle sprain. Bennedict Mathurin has taken over from Nesmith in the starting lineup and could be in for another big night on Wednesday if he continues to receive extra minutes. The newly crowned NBA Rookie Challenge MVP matched his career high with a 34-point effort against Toronto on Monday.

The Indiana Pacers have downgraded forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) from doubtful to out for Monday's game versus the Toronto Raptors. Nesmith sprained his right ankle in Indy's final game before the All-Star break and still isn't ready to play, but he'll hope to return in Wednesday's matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans. Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard are both worthwhile streamers in a contest with the highest implied point total (245.5) on Monday's four-game slate.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) will not be available for Thursday's game against the Detroit Pistons. The 24-year-old sustained the injury in the team's last game before the All-Star break against the Raptors. Fortunately, the injury is not as severe as initially feared, but Nesmith is still expected to miss some time, although it shouldn't sideline him for an extended period. T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin will likely see increased minutes until his return. Nesmith has been averaging 12.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 27.1 minutes per game this year.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (lower leg) appears to have escaped serious injury. He hurt his right leg on an awkward fall following a dunk attempt in the team's final game before the All-Star break. Nesmith was limited in Tuesday's practice but could still be an option for Thursday's matchup against Detroit. "No update really other than not as bad as originally feared," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said on Tuesday. "He was limited today. He's making significant progress each day. We'll see how he's doing in a couple days." If Nesmith can't play on Thursday, Doug McDermott and Bennedict Mathurin will have to step up.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith injured his right leg on Wednesday versus Toronto. He exited the contest early in the third quarter after landing awkwardly on a dunk attempt. Nesmith needed help to get to the locker room. The team called it a shin injury, but Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle suggested postgame that it could actually be an ankle injury. Nesmith reportedly walked out of the arena, so it's possible he managed to avoid serious injury. However, we won't know for sure before Indiana provides further updates. If he can't recover over the All-Star break, Carlisle will need to tweak his starting five, with Bennedict Mathurin (knee) and Doug McDermott getting more opportunities.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (shin) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Sacramento Kings. Nesmith was questionable coming into this game, but will ultimately miss his third game in a row. Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin figure to see increased playing time with Nesmith and Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) both ruled out. Mathurin should be a fine streaming option with the Pacers shorthanded for this game.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (shin) is regarded as questionable for Thursday's matchup against Sacramento. He's already been out for two games with a left shin issue and might have to sit again. Nesmith had made 10 consecutive starts before landing on the shelf. Bennedict Mathurin (ankle) could land in the starting unit in Nesmith's absence on Thursday, although he's also considered questionable for the game.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith had to exit Friday's 150-116 win over Atlanta early after spraining his left ankle. He was having a very good game before rolling his ankle in a battle for a rebound. Nesmith finished with 15 points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block across 22 minutes of action, shooting 7-for-11. He'll be desperate to play on Saturday against his former team, the Celtics, but his chances of remaining in the lineup don't look great. Nesmith's injury could give Buddy Hield or Bennedict Mathurin another chance in the starting unit.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (hip) has been tagged as questionable for the team's game against the Detroit Pistons. He's dealing with a right hip bruise that he must have picked up during the in-season tournament championship game on Saturday. Nesmith has shown some very good potential on both sides of the ball, especially throughout the in-season tournament. Fantasy managers can look toward Bennedict Mathurin and Bruce Brown for some streaming options if needed.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (wrist) has been upgraded from questionable to available on Monday night. He'll likely retain his usual role where he receives around 23 minutes and does a little bit of everything on both sides of the ball. Nesmith is more fantasy-relevant when it comes to deeper leagues, but he does have a prominent role in the rotation to garner some spot starts too.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (wrist) has received another questionable tag for their Monday night game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The fourth-year wing has had to miss the last two consecutive games due to this right wrist sprain and now he could miss a third. His role has grown since joining the team via trade from Boston two offseasons ago. While they would miss his two-way play, if he can't suit up, Buddy Hield would remain in the starting lineup while Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard would get the opportunities off of the bench.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (wrist) has officially been tagged as questionable for the team's game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Nesmith has played an important depth role for the team and has posted career-high efficiency numbers so far. If he misses his second consecutive matchup, then Buddy Hield and Bennedict Mathurin should both get more opportunities. Both of these options aren't available in a majority of leagues, however, so finding a streaming option from another team may be the better move.

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith will be sticking around for three more years after agreeing to his first contract extension from his rookie deal. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Nesmith and the Pacers agreed to a three-year deal worth $33 million. After not playing all that much with the Boston Celtics in his first two years, he was moved to the Pacers last offseason and he appeared in 73 games while starting in 60 of them last season. He averaged 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.6 threes per game while shooting 42.7% from the floor.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

... [More]

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (hip) could miss a third consecutive game Thursday against Houston, as the team considers him questionable for the contest. The 23-year-old is recovering from a sore left hip. Nesmith is far from a household name, but he has been starting regularly for the Pacers since mid-December, putting in decent work. In 45 starts overall for the season, Nesmith has averaged 10.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Jordan Nwora has started the last two games in his absence, putting up 13.5 points with 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Indiana Pacers guard/forward Aaron Nesmith (wrist) is regarded as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Magic. He has a sore right wrist and might be forced to rest it for a night. Nesmith has started to gain momentum lately as a regular starter for the team. He is averaging 10.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists as a member of the starting five this season. Oshae Brissett and Jalen Smith are set to share most of Nesmith's minutes on Wednesday if he can't go against Orlando.