The Pritchard-led front office continued its run of coming to mutually beneficial extensions with Pacers players this afternoon when it signed Aaron Nesmith to a 3-year, $33 million deal.

According to Tony East, the contract has bonuses that could net Nesmith an extra $5.6 million over the life of the deal and is without option years.

Nesmith, a former 2020 lottery pick by the Celtics who came to Indiana in the Brogdon trade, has often been an overlooked member of the roster ā€“ even as he started 60 games last season. Nevertheless, his willingness to attack any and every assignment with a dogged intensity has made him the embodiment of the culture the Pacers are building.

On top of his willingness to sacrifice, there's reason to believe that Nesmith is far from a finished product. His preseason play has demonstrated improved burst and ability with the ball, a testament to the work he put in over the summer. At 24 years old and at price tag that is less than the MLE, this deal is a no-brainer for the Pacers.

Based on the reaction of his teammates, the whole organization is thrilled Nesmith inked the deal.

The Pacers continue to be in a place of financial flexibility. Nesmith's $11 million cap hit is less than the $16.9 million cap-hold he would have carried into the summer as a FA. Depending on how the season goes, the team can choose to free up space to get under the cap and be a player in free agency or it can remain over the cap to re-sign players (and possibly make certain trades easier).

As things stand now, the team has eight players under contract for next year. Of the players on the main roster, only Obi Toppin will be a restricted free-agent next summer, while Jordan Nwora and Buddy Hield will be unrestricted. As far as options to keep an eye on, Jalen Smith has a player option, while Daniel Theis and Bruce Brown have team options.

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