Andrew Nembhard Trade Imminent?

The Indiana Pacers had a successful offseason. Following their shocking Eastern Conference Finals run, the Pacers' front office doubled down on the team that accomplished something the franchise hasn't done in 10 years. Indiana rewarded everyone eligible with extensions or by re-signing them to "large" amounts. However, one NBA analyst perceives one contract extension as an imminent trade maneuver.

Nate Duncan and John Hollinger host the "Hollinger and Duncan NBA Show" podcast. One of their recent episodes discussed the Pacers' offseason activity. While Hollinger saw the Nembhard contract extension as unnecessary, Duncan had a different take.

Duncan believes the Pacers decided to accelerate Nembhard's earnings rather than taking one more year to build the team with the $2.1 in the final year of his rookie deal, to use the young punchy guard ultimately as a trade chip for a team seeking a starting guard.

"I’d be shocked if he (Nembhard) finished his contract with the Pacers," Duncan said .

Who would want such a guard at $18 million a year? Duncan immediately mentioned the San Antonio Spurs. Duncan didn't reach by figuring San Antonio, as there was smoke surrounding his claim. Reports indicated the Spurs had eyes on the young guard.

If the Spurs' experiment with Chris Paul doesn't work, or if it's succeeding, but the front office feels they need one more dynamic guard to push for a playoff spot, Nembhard is theoretically available.

Related: Andrew Nembhard as Full-Time Starter?

It's premature to discuss trading Nembhard, as he averaged 21 points in the Eastern Conference against the eventual 2024 NBA champions. However, when the fork in the road comes, the Pacers have multiple options.