Anonymous NBA player survey in The Athletic both credits and dismisses Indiana Pacers

Tyrese Haliburton, Rick Carlisle, and Andrew Nembhard were named

The Athletic performed a poll of over 100 NBA players on a variety of topics, and because some of the topics could have led to dishonest answers, players were granted anonymity so that they could speak more freely. The survey is illuminating and features questions about the best player in the NBA, overrated and underrated players, and big issues facing the league.

The Indiana Pacers saw multiple players and coaches be named as responses to various basketball-related questions. Because the team has some high profile yet young players and a historically talented head coach, they were bound to be on the mind of some players.

Some of the Pacers-related inclusions in the survey contradict each other. For example, one of the 54 players who answered the question "who's the most overrated player?" responded by naming Indiana All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. But a different player listed Haliburton as his response to "who's the most underrated player?" Those responses could be viewed as canceling each other out, but clearly there are mixed reviews around the league of Haliburton's ability level.

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Rick Carlisle was named dropped as a survey response to multiple prompts, too, and the two poll questions involved are contradictory. On one hand, 2.1% of the 95 responses to the "Which current coach, aside from your own, would you most want to play for?" question named Carlisle, which means it was two players. On the other hand, Carlsile also pulled in 5.5% of the vote when 55 players answered the poll "Which current coach, aside from your own, would you least want to play for?". That's three players on one side and two on the other, effectively another wash.

The Pacers positive basketball-centric inclusion to the survey came in response to the question "Who’s the best defender?". One of the 98 respondents listed Indiana rookie guard Andrew Nembhard as the best defensive player in the NBA.

That might be hyperbolic, but Nembhard was an excellent defender at the guard position this season. Carlisle started him often this season because of this defense, and his active hands and quick feet made him hard to get by. He didn't look like a rookie on defense.

"A lot of coaches have kind of taught me certain hand placement things on defense that have taken my [stuff] to the next level," Nembhard said late in the season. His defensive activity is impressive, and it doesn't appear to tire him out.

The blue and gold's defensive rating wasn't strong with Nembhard on the floor, but that is mostly due to him playing most of his minutes with the starting five, a unit that struggled to get stops in general. But his peskiness and awareness on that end of the floor were impressive. While he isn't the best defender in the NBA, he could be someday. This survey response should age well.

There are other, non-basketball related poll questions that the Pacers are named in. You can read through the responses in full here. It is a fascinating look at how NBA players view the league, and the Pacers.

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• Tyrese Haliburton is a partner with the Indiana Pacers franchise, and the team doesn't think a contract extension will be complicated. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers President Kevin Pritchard knows he must toe the fine line between neutral and accelerating. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers exit interviews: Jalen Smith struggled at power forward, and that will help going forward. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers win random draft drawing over Washington Wizards, see unwelcomed results elsewhere. CLICK HERE.
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