Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) is considered questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Nembhard has missed each of the last two games due to a spine sprain. His status normally isn't overly important, but starting guard Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) is questionable as well for this game. That being said, T.J. McConnell could be asked to play a big role if both players sit out. Otherwise, Nembhard could have some streaming appeal if Haliburton is unable to go.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) is considered questionable for Monday's clash with the Celtics. The 23-year-old has been absent for the last three games, leaving the Pacers without one of their best defensive players. Assuming Nembhard remains on the shelf, T.J. McConnell will continue to log the backup point guard minutes behind Tyrese Haliburton. At the same time, Buddy Hield and Bennedict Mathurin also have a chance to feature more. Mathurin had the best game out of the trio on Saturday when Indiana also faced Boston, leading the team in scoring with 20 points off the bench.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) won't play on Friday night versus the Atlanta Hawks. The 23-year-old injured his back during Monday's meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks and didn't suit up for the rematch on Wednesday. Although Tyrese Haliburton will see more than enough minutes at the one, others like T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin should continue to receive more work. However, while McConnell and Mathurin both have a higher ceiling without Nembhard on the floor, neither can be trusted from a fantasy standpoint.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) has been listed as questionable on the early morning injury report as he deals with a mid-back sprain. This year, Nembhard has seen stretches of injury issues in between spurts of getting starts and minutes off of the bench. His role has been all over the place, so the inconsistency from a fantasy standpoint can get quite frustrating. If he ends up staying on the sidelines for a second consecutive game with his back issues, Bennedict Mathurin and T.J. McConnell would get some extra minutes off of the bench. One of those two may even move into the starting lineup if Bruce Brown (knee) isn't upgraded from questionable.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) is questionable ahead of Wednesday's matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks. The 23-year-old logged only eight minutes in Monday's meeting with Milwaukee before exiting with a back injury. As a result, Bennedict Mathurin and T.J. McConnell received extra work, with both men combining for 41 points. With Bruce Brown (knee) also uncertain for Wednesday's game, McConnell and Mathurin could remain more involved if Nembhard isn't available, giving them streaming value in deeper formats.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard was limited to only eight minutes due to a sore back in Monday's impressive 122-113 road win over Milwaukee. He had a poor outing, contributing only two points and finishing with a team-worst minus-21 rating. Nembhard made his fifth consecutive start in Bruce Brown's (knee) absence, but he might now have to sit out some games himself. Buddy Hield replaced Nembhard in the starting unit for the second half on Monday, but the game was all about Bennedict Mathurin. He put up a big 25-point, 13-rebound double-double in 36 minutes off the bench. Mathurin could be the main beneficiary of Indiana's injuries again on Wednesday when there's a rematch scheduled with the Bucks.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) will remain on the shelf Wednesday versus Charlotte. He was seen in practice on Tuesday, but a bone bruise on his right knee will keep Nembhard sidelined. He last played on Dec. 7. It looks like Nembhard isn't far away from returning, but T.J. McConnell will continue to get extra work behind starting point guard Tyrese Haliburton on Wednesday. The game against the Hornets is a dream matchup from a fantasy perspective, as both teams struggle on the defensive end, and Vegas has set the total at a whopping 248.5 points.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) won't be available Wednesday versus Milwaukee. He was injured last week against the Bucks in an in-season tournament clash and sat out the NBA Cup final against the Lakers and Monday's game versus Detroit. On Saturday, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle announced that the team will re-evaluate him in one week. Nembhard's absence makes T.J. McConnell the main backup for Tyrese Haliburton, but with the latter crushing it all around this season, the veteran guard doesn't have a lot of fantasy value.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) will miss another game due to a right knee bone bruise. The 23-year-old missed out on the in-season tournament championship game after playing just 14 minutes in the semifinal matchup. Nembhard has been ruled out again, but this is the only game that counts toward the regular season. Since he won't be coming off of the bench, T.J. McConnell will get the backup point guard minutes and could be a streaming option in deep leagues.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) won't play in the first-ever NBA Cup final on Saturday against the Lakers. He hurt his right knee in Indiana's in-season tournament semifinal victory over Milwaukee. Nembhard's role in the Pacers rotation has reduced this season, but he's still averaged over 18 minutes off the pine. T.J. McConnell looked great against the Bucks and will now be the lone point guard option behind rising star Tyrese Haliburton. However, he likely won't get enough playing time to make a major impact in fantasy hoops.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) continues to deal with back spasms, which have caused him to miss the last three consecutive games. Back problems are one of the hardest injuries to predict in terms of a return timetable. The good thing is that he hasn't been ruled out ahead of time and he remains listed as questionable on Friday morning. If he's unable to get on the court, however, Tyrese Haliburton will see as many minutes as possible, while T.J. McConnell will likely be the primary backup.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) is listed as questionable for Tuesday's matchup against the Hawks. He's having trouble with his lower back, and it kept Nembhard off the court for the first time this season on Sunday versus Orlando. Nembhard's fantasy stock has taken a big hit this season, as he has gone from averaging close to 28 minutes a night to only getting around 18 minutes. The 23-year-old has contributed 7.5 points and 4.0 assists. If Nembhard is out, T.J. McConnell will get more work as the backup point guard behind Tyrese Haliburton.

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. 

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Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (kidney stone) will miss the team's third preseason contest while he still deals with the kidney stone that has ailed him for most of the preseason now. He has been ramping up to hopefully play in their final game of the preseason on Friday though. Nembhard is currently looking at a reserve guard role, but could potentially rise in the depth chart based on his performance throughout the season. He's only going into his second year in the league and showed some very good flashes last season. As of right now, he's not on the radar in fantasy drafts, but could become a solid waiver wire addition later on in the season.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (neck) participated in Thursday's practice. Nembhard didn't travel with the team for their two-game road trip to kick off the preseason due to a neck injury as well as a kidney stone but he appears to be improving after getting in a limited session. Indiana isn't back in action until Monday versus the Atlanta Hawks, so the 23-year-old combo guard has some time to return to the court. T.J. McConnell has started at the 1 in both of Indy's exhibition affairs so far, though franchise cornerstone Tyrese Haliburton hasn't appeared yet, either. It remains to be seen if Nembhard, who received 63 starts in his rookie year, will regularly play with the first unit after the Pacers signed Swiss Army knife Bruce Brown this past offseason.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (kidney stone) won't travel with the team on their two-game road trip to start out the preseason due to a kidney stone. Depending on how long he's been dealing with the issue, he may still be out for a couple more weeks before the stones pass. The 23-year-old appeared in 75 games last season and started in 63 of them. Now entering his second year, Nembhard is looking at an expanded role, especially if Buddy Hield is traded. He could be a late-round sleeper in deeper leagues depending on the rotation this season.

It's a crazy time of year around the National Basketball Association. Not long after the Denver Nuggets captured the franchise's first championship, French big manVictor Wembanyama was the top pick of the 2023 Draft.While new talent entering the league is all well and good, nothing turns the NBA upside down quite like the beginning of free agency. Since June 30, many notable players have signed with new teams. There were also more than a few significant trades. In either case, at least a handful of clubs will look very different (for the better?) come training camp. Let's take a look at some of the biggest names on the move and how they might affect the NBA landscape this season. 

Fred VanVleet - Houston Rockets

The Rockets entered the 2022-23 campaign as the second-youngest team in the National Basketball Association, and it showed. The club finished with 22 wins and 60 losses, with the Pistons being the only team with a worse record. As a result, the front office made a point to shake things up after the exhaustingly long year came to a close.The overhaul began when Stephen Silas, winning just 59 of his 236 games in Houston, was relieved of his head coaching duties. In his place, Ime Udoka, who helped guide the Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance in his first season, took the reigns. While Udoka's tenure in Boston didn't end on a positive note, he's still regarded as one of the sharpest minds in the league, even by those who lost respect for him on a personal level.https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1650612243661242369?s=20While having a knowledgeable head coach will help accelerate the growth of an up-and-coming squad, the Rockets needed someone to facilitate things on the floor. With Houston having plenty of cap space entering the offseason, the team signed ... [More]

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard had a very good Summer League outing Monday versus the Magic, leading all scorers with 21 points and dishing out seven assists in a 108-85 win. He added three steals on the defensive side of things, shooting 8-for-16 from the floor and 2-for-5 from deep. Nembhard had a decent rookie campaign last season, averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 assists in 27.6 minutes, but he benefited from Tyrese Haliburton's injury and Bruce Brown's arrival will complicate things further on the Pacers backcourt. However, the added competition should also push Nembhard to be a better player.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (illness) has been cleared to play in Friday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He has missed the last two games due to a non-COVID related illness. His return means that T.J. McConnell or Chris Duarte could move to the second unit. McConnell has been excellent lately, so he can continue to be rostered regardless of where he's playing. Nembhard should have his normal workload during Friday's game.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (illness) will not play Wednesday against the Orlando Magic. Nembhard will miss his second straight game with an illness after being listed as questionable for both. With Tyrese Haliburton (knee) still sidelined, T.J. McConnell should continue to lead the point guard minutes. McConnell has been stellar as a starter this year and should be on rosters in all leagues while Nembhard and Haliburton remain out.