Did Aaron Nesmith Take a Shot at the Celtics?

But while the Celtics felt that was a move they had to make, they always believed in Nesmith's potential. And after being behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the depth chart and having difficulty cracking the rotation, the former Vanderbilt Commodore star got his chance under Rick Carlisle on a rebuilding Pacers team.

The Charleston, South Carolina native has capitalized on his opportunity. No longer having to find his rhythm despite minimal minutes and touches, he's averaging 10.3 points and drilling 37.1 percent of his 4.3 three-point attempts in 75 games with Indiana. In Saturday's 125-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, he came off the bench to generate a career-high 26 points.

While with Boston, Nesmith's defense and hustle helped him get and stay on the court. His commitment at that end has carried over to his new team, including an impressive ability to guard against fours.

His two-way impact recently earned him a three-year, $33 million extension. Perhaps that Bleacher Report post provided added fuel for Nesmith, who took to social media to get the last laugh.

Warning: this link is to a social media post that contains the use of explicit language.

From this vantage point, Nesmith is taking a shot at the post, not the Celtics. The latter believed in him enough to draft the six-foot-six sharpshooter with the 14th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. They also had confidence in what he could do with more minutes in Indiana. Either way, after a slow start to his career, the 24-year-old wing has earned the right to puff his chest out.

As for the Boston side of the deal, Brogdon earned Sixth Man of the Year honors last season before a forearm injury derailed his playoff production.

Perhaps, if he had stayed healthy, the Celtics would've captured the Larry O'Brien Trophy, and he'd still be donning Kelly green. Instead, his inclusion in a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers helped Boston acquire two-time All-Star Jrue Holiday.