From the abandoned son of the Celtics to the darling of Inn City! Halliburton: He is the desperate Saburo that the entire league desires

Aaron Nesmith's career started with the Celtics, but his life in Boston was not easy. As a former lottery show, Nesmi's performance was disappointing and failed to get too many opportunities to play. At that time, Malcolm Brogden had just finished a season and averaged 19 points per game to the Pacers, and he was already a very capable role player.

The Celtics then made the deal that was considered "robbery" at the time. In the 2022 offseason, the Celtics sent Theis, Nesmith, Stauskas, Malik Fitz, Juwan Morgan, and the first round pick in 2023, 6 for 1 to get Brogdon from the Pacers trade. Looking back now, the deal has been rewarding for both teams.

Brogden later won the sixth man of the year and became an important bargaining chip in subsequent Holiday trades. Nesmith ushered in an explosion in a new environment, and the spirit of "proving himself" in his heart always drove him to move forward.

Nestmith, once regarded as a paper clip, now plays a vital role in the Pacers. The key factor of the Pacers is that Nesmith's talent has always been there, but it lacks the opportunity to show it. At the Celtics, Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the team's well-deserved top picks on the wing, occupying a lot of playing time, which greatly hinders Nesmith's growth.

Neismith was an excellent shooter at Vanderbilt University. However, when he first joined the Celtics, he failed to show this advantage. Perhaps the Celtics should have given him more patience and time.

This season, Nesmith delivered a remarkable report card - his shooting percentage was as high as 50.7%, his three-point shooting percentage was 43.1%, and his free throw shooting percentage reached an astonishing 91.3%, becoming one of the few players in the league to join the 180 club this season. In the Pacers' playoffs this season, Nesmith's data soared, with a shooting percentage of 56.2% and a three-point shooting percentage of 56.3%.

In addition to his outstanding offensive performance, Nesmith's contribution on the defensive end should not be underestimated. Last season, the Pacers performed poorly on the defensive end and ranked 24th in the league. This season, their defensive ranking has been improved to 14th place, and after Nesmith returned from injury and returned to the lineup on January 16, the team's defensive efficiency has been further improved, and the ranking has jumped to 11th place.

Nestmith possesses all the qualities of a good 3D wing player. He has an excellent 6-foot-10-inch wingspan and is able to defend players from multiple positions. But what really sets him apart is the ruthlessness in his heart that proves himself. Nesmith is like a crazy beast when defending, always trying his best to avoid any defensive opportunity, even if he has to pay the price of injury.

Nesmith can always stand up at critical moments. In the second round of the playoffs last year, he made 8 of 8 shots and scored 19 points, helping the team successfully advance. In the third game against the Bucks in the first round of the playoffs last year, he made two free throws with 7 seconds left in regular time, and with both sides drew in overtime, he hit a key three-pointer to help the team secure the victory.

Even in regular games, Nesmith's performance is also remarkable. He is one of the most accurate free throws in the league at critical moments, making 21 free throws during the regular season.

Putting aside those wonderful key balls, the reason why Nesmith has become the Pacers' "darling" is that he can always create amazing and exciting moments inadvertently. In the second game, the violent dunk he completed against Donovan Mitchell will be forever engraved in the Pacers' history.

The next round may not be remembered as long as that dunk, but it is equally crucial for the Pacers' unexpected victory. When serving the sideline, Nesmith pressed Mitchell across the court, successfully blocking the opponent's elbow, and even used his head to block the opponent's elbow, which eventually caused the opponent to attack. This round is a perfect portrayal of his current game style.

"Some people will say they are willing to give everything for the team." Tyreth Halliburton once said so emotionally last week. "And Nesmith is really willing to give everything for the team. He goes all out every night, and I think every team in the NBA is eager to have a player like Aaron Nesmith."

Along the Pacers' journey, Aaron Nesmith is writing his own legend in his own way. He is no longer the "paper clip" that is despised, but a key force in growing into an indispensable team. With his own efforts and hard work, he has brought victory after victory to the Pacers and won the love and respect of fans.