20-24: A Nesmith Odyssey

[boxbuster7]

Originally Posted by bkcardcollector

10k is what he paid...

for what?

[ninjabum87]

Originally Posted by boxbuster7

for what?

Internet immortality.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by boxbuster7

for what?

Stuff that people regularly pay $10k for a single card of if your name Luka, Shai, Giannis, the list goes on...

I will take that gamble, if Nesmith... sorry the new Draymond Steph, is in a position to personally put the hurt on Shai in the finals and leapfrog technologies.... odds have to be within the range of Mavs getting first pick? Or sparking 12 of 13 points in 14-point ECF comeback in the Garden with 4 minutes left?

Anyhow, if Blez personally commits to learning how to pronounce the name of a 5th year player on the Pacers (and Reggie gives him the nod), already halfway there.

But yeah, sit on it another series. And another. Just people trying to hit his cards in '20-21 breaks alone will ultimately raise the prices. I know how it works now. You invest $1,999 in a couple Haliburton NT case spots and spring for the darn $8,000 RPA five minutes later to recoup losses.

[boxbuster7]

Originally Posted by Nomad

Stuff that people regularly pay $10k for a single card of if your name Luka, Shai, Giannis, the list goes on...

I will take that gamble, if Nesmith... sorry the new Draymond Steph, is in a position to personally put the hurt on Shai in the finals and leapfrog technologies.... odds have to be within the range of Mavs getting first pick? Or sparking 12 of 13 points in 14-point ECF comeback in the Garden with 4 minutes left?

Anyhow, if Blez personally commits to learning how to pronounce the name of a 5th year player on the Pacers (and Reggie gives him the nod), already halfway there.

But yeah, sit on it another series. And another. Just people trying to hit his cards in '20-21 breaks alone will ultimately raise the prices. I know how it works now. You invest $1,999 in a couple Haliburton NT case spots and spring for the darn $8,000 RPA five minutes later to recoup losses.

what is the most money you paid for a nesmith card?

just curious

[Nomad]

I think it was $700 for the 1/1 Origins booklet. This was like my earliest big purchase, right after Origins was released in '21, and I didn't quite understand RPA hierarchies. Now I realize it's a really unique piece, but a sticker. I also have a /10 of that, which is the rainbow.

Panini has really expanded its basketball booklets, devaluing them. But for that year, that is it.

[boxbuster7]

Originally Posted by Nomad

I think it was $700 for the 1/1 Origins booklet. This was like my earliest big purchase, right after Origins was released in '21, and I didn't quite understand RPA hierarchies. Now I realize it's a really unique piece, but a sticker. I also have a /10 of that, which is the rainbow.

Panini has really expanded its basketball booklets, devaluing them. But for that year, that is it.

I would've thought the prizm black would've.

interesting!

[MavsRChamps]

Nesmith is a dog, one of my favorite players the more I watch him. His conditioning is crazy too, super confident but humble guy too, he really is a poor man's Kawhi Leonard out there right now (and actually Kawhi last game) it feels like. High praise I know.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by boxbuster7

I would've thought the prizm black would've.

interesting!

That was on the bay. For $5,000 for a like a year. It was out of my budget range. I tried to approach the seller for a trade/partial cash deal, but no go.

In fact I don't even have a gold Prizm rookie of any kind (except wave).

Have other year golds and black golds and gold shimmers, but not that.

I still have it in my mind that another supercollector with like two golds might be willing to part with one for some Nesmith bling that fills their collection.

Kawhi is definitely the player I compare Nesmith with most. But on a better team than even the 2019 Raptors (ask Pascal). With their contracts, Furphy emerging, and Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman healed, I see no reason they can't run it back a 3rd year.

[Nomad]

I just want to say, the playoff halo effect is real. I had actually given up on recouping my Nesmith investment. Was just buying stuff out integrity to the chase.

Thought that nobody cared. It's crazy to see stuff I was familiar with for years on the Bay, priced way over what stuff actually auctioned for, now just taken out of the gene pool. Pretty soon there won't be anything good left. That wacky green disco Prizm /5 that got put up for $400? Sold within hours.

I guess it really is the end of my Nesmith collecting journey. No way I am paying hundreds for what I used to get for $30 or $40. It's gonna be hard to sell as well. I think his real upside comes in a year or two. OKC and Indy are running neck and neck in the dynasty stakes.

[bkcardcollector]

40/50/90

[Nomad]

In all honesty, we will know Nesmith hit his floor when Blez updates its 'pick your players' to move Aaron out of the Indiana Pacers 'others' category alongside Obi Toppen and Jermaine O'Neal. I got that spot in a case of Prizm International for $13 yesterday, swear. Then to see Blez Lite admitting he didn't really watch game 1, Pacers vs. Knicks. F1 fans for you.

Man I go into my eBay watchlist and hype in "Nesmith" and all the cards I had my eyes on for years are ended and sold. Hobby sez: let's see how many actually pay. And yeah, as with any riser, there will be those who aim above their purchasing power. But he is still only a half or a third of Mitchell.

Unfortunately, that ends my 'corner the middle-tier market on Nesmith' aspirations. Was hoping to sell the rights to my 700 page novel* before the 'human torch' breakthrough happened. Highest I can predict for the collection as it stands now is low six figures.

That said, there are still bargain basement cards you rarely seen available in the nooks and crannies of the bay. Picked up these yesterday after the G2 39-point Siakam victory:


This $9.99 mojo /25 I always held off on buying because it seemed wildly off-centered. See now it was just a poor photo.


Got two 50-card lots of these for $4.99 each. I think they will sell well for $2.30 each and make my booth popular.


Said it before but it bears repeating. There will always be a premium for Nesmith's first card as a relaxed crunch alpha in the right jersey. Possibly in his first championship year. White sparkle /35. $12.50 in auction.

One more small point. Nesmith prices don't start to rise till there are like a half dozen supercollectors in Manila and the Visayas scouring the country and only finding Origins on-card autos /99 (shoutout my man**) and suchlike.

*Arisugawa Park (A Beautiful Case of the Blues)

** Cards that started it all:

[bkcardcollector]

think thats a white cracked ice not white sparkle - white sparkles arent numbered either.

[Nomad]

Oh yeah, what I meant. The common breaker opinion seems to be that the white sparkle print run has risen... wonder if it has reached 35?

I assume sparkle, with its pedigree, would be valued higher than ice. But then I see that one sold a couple weeks ago for $7.50 (about $50 in today's Nesmith dollars).

[ninjacookies]

My pre-ecf Sensational Sig pickup got me feelin like Rich Porter in this mf.

Found myself spontaneously hittin the salsa this morning like a dominican zest monster for no damn reason other than life itself.



Closed my Forex and copped the 4x/

Dimes I could never be with - but flippin Kneesmiff got 'em wanting more sex.



We made it.

[Nomad]

been seeing all those variations of the 1-1 sensational sig trading like hot cakes in recent weeks.

need proof of life on that before I hand over the briefcase...

Honestly, the first meme I kind of groove to and the second one really ruins the vibe. Looks like same kind of confusion that thinks it rules the world.

The stuff Chuck warned about.

I dont know if you could do me one ninja, but I would really like to be able to look at the thread again.

[Fastfalcon94]

Now that the Celtics are out I have been cheering for the Pacers. I thought they would be trouble again this year as they put up the best fight against the Celtics last year. Really impressed with Nesmith. First thing I thought was "Nomad was right."

I had a big Payton Pritchard collection. Not as huge quantity wise as your collection, but I did have the key Prizm gold/10 and Optic Holo gold /10. With his 6MOY run I sold off all the lower tier cards. Any sticker autos or non game used patches.. gone. A bunch of base and a few silver prisms in had dozens of gone...

Pretty much the only cards I have if him now are his flawless RPA which is his only rc with a game used patch), any gold /10s, some contenders on-card autos, and a few silver/green prizms. I used the profits to consolidate into another flawless RPA card of him. Now at 7 (1 green, 2 gold, 4 silver). I'm happy my collection is smaller now and just the really good stuff.

[Nomad]

Thanks! I have a black 1/1 Pritchard flux incoming, one of my favorite cards, as I won it in a break.

I am just hoping the Pacers run good continues into the finals. With the Wolves' drubbing of Thunder, I see hope. Not only in the wear down of what will probably turn out to be a 7 game series, but because there seems to be a way of denting OKC armor.

You don't have to tell me the beauty of a Flawless GU patch. I did a count of Nesmith's total licensed GU patches at year 5, and that includes 130 3rd year NT Biography (using up the leftover Celtics jerseys) and it stands 220 total cards.

The small, but significant Flawless collection:





Bay Watch: 8 total Flawless on the Bay, down 50 percent from a few days ago. And nothing nice. (edit: actually there are a couple nice patches and some real GU collegiate bling). The bias against college is so strong in collecting.

I guess there never will be licensed Pacers Flawless for Nesmith. Shame. Panini had its chance after last season and dropped the ball.

[Nomad]

I find myself as a Nesmith fan and collector both glad at crowd's chanting his name, as in a college game, and a little embarrassed. But not embarrassed at all in his come-back to-the-game grit after a hard ankle roll.

Coach Carslisle: "I got the okay from him in the locker room of movement-without-limitation and decided to get him back out there before it stiffened up."

He was called upon to crunch alpha (he will take the blame for missing that not-easy layup at the end), but honestly Nesmith got involved too late in the game. I think he will be given co-reigns next time they have a close situation like that. As when he marshaled selfless offense in Game 1, backed by everyone's seamless support.

In that respect the "Nesmith game" echoes that 38 point comeback performance against the Spurs in his rookie year (the only time with the Celtics he was given the reigns was when the game was considered over and done).

I'm not results oriented, just relieved it was not as serious an injury as many feared. He probably even worked out some of the ankle issues while running and got the flexor tendons back into alignment.

Knicks a surprisingly resilient squad when it gets down to ball around the basket, but I wouldn't want to put either team in front. Like OKC vs. Wolves, it is suddenly very much now a series. (Though I couldn't be bothered to get out to see the last WCF, it doesn't sound like I missed much). Still have it at 5 until proven otherwise.

I guess fresher legs like Walker and Achiuwa may get run in the next game and that's where the competition gets intense.

A little critique: complete breakdown in rhythm after Nesmith left and that's why I think they need to be a little more considerate and not give him simply desperation passes. Quality touches. Proactively and randomly involved in the attack. Trust that Walker and Shep know their spots. Uncork Mathurin when Siakam gets tired.

Focus on improving and refining the offensive game. The defense is good enough and anyway, with the ankle thing one needs to focus on conserving motion and energy. Become the become the best 3-point shooter and fakeout fadeaway drill artist you can.

In the collecting sphere, I want to clear up a lot of misconceptions about Double A's primary collector base. Sure there are plenty of newcomers who are scouring silvers, mid-tier, and high end indiscriminately... but the primary collector and holder of mint stuff less than $1,000 for mid-tier hasn't even moved off their position. They are some Boston, Tennessee, and even Atlantic League fans. Kind of immune to market trends unless the price is right. And their interest in the series, as with a few NY fans with Obi Toppen stock, not to mention all of Canada, is good for the league.

[bkcardcollector]

shame he was a bit off after that ankle injury,, gotta think they woulda won if he didnt

[Nomad]

I think the Knicks were gonna take this one anyway. They were highly motivated. And Nesmith is seeing pressing defense for the first time in his career. I am not sure he can adapt within the scope of a single series, though having these days off helps. Once he gets the pattern, he can just swing it to the other open man and find other spots to attack. But that's a totally different rhythm to mix in the bag.

I almost hope he doesn't play next game. Give Mathurin a chance to truly earn his flowers. And keep Walker revved up in the pit.

[MavsRChamps]

^ I agree on Walker being in the rotation a bit ... The announcers have been gushing over Tony Bradley in this series but my eye test just tells me he hasn't been that effective & clogs things down for Indiana bit. I'd explore Toppin at the 5 more behind Turner & rotate minutes so he's next to Siakam & Walker ... Essentially Walker would replace the 10-15 minutes of Bradley and be playing with Toppin

Indy lost their identity in the 2nd half to me - They need to maintain the high pace, maintain the offensive and defensive flexibility, and though he's not the reason they lost, Bradley is counter to all that and easy to plug out

[Nomad]

Perspective: This injury is good for Aaron

Going from zero national recognition to extreme public consciousness is a challenge for even the most even-keeled athlete. Double A as we know him is the definition of even-keeled, amping up his energy at controlled voltage on.the floor.

Only afterward does he allow the "Yeah. Yeah. Yeaaah. That's how we feel" to take hold.

But it was not always this way. Double A was once known as crash, a nickname he absolutely hated, because it implied causing indiscriminate injury on the floor. And true Kneesmiff did bang heads with a few teammates at inopportune times going for rebounds, and even gave Grant Williams a hurt at practice as he tried to go up for a dunk. As timelord described it in the presser, "Grant tried to jam and Aaron said naw."

For what it's worth, Robert Williams III crowded Nesmith on a block attempt at rim in 2022, which sent him off in a wheelchair and placed him on the injured list for months. He never made it back into the regular rotation, though he did sub capably for Marcus Smart for a game in the first round against Miami.

Fast forward to the most watched of the conference finals, by virtue of New York's participation. Aaron has had a series to date that he probably never expected or dreamed. The absolute highs and the absolute lows. That throwing of the towel gesture is one I last saw when the Pelican's coach took him out on the sideline (same stepping on a foot issue). That gave Aaron a good four month rest and explains, plus conditioning, why Chuck called him "fresh as a daisy." (And yes that drive was that ill-advised and Brunson is that good).

So yeah, I like this injury on paper, because there is no way he won't be rested, healed, charged, and ready to go Game 5 or 6, should it come to that. Also it kind of gives him time out of the spotlight, to reassess his new status and how teams are going to go after him as never before. Nesmith could not have won game 1 for the Pacers without being one of the lesser guarded. Surprise was a key element, everyone expected Hali and Nembhard to take control at a certain point. But the rule of meritocratic Indiana is, if you fail to miss, and they leave you open, you keep getting fed the ball.

My biggest fear is actually that Aaron will try to play too soon and, not only will the Pacers lose, but he will not be physically 100 percent for Game 5.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by bradjames12

You a clown while I'm smiling

Did you ever follow my advice and invest in Nesmith? Im seeing 200-800 percent* gains on cards in a week.

Every big game I see a high end Flawless disappear. We are down to six total cards on the Bay. Its interesting, since this one guy from Thailand put up like half a dozen vert RPAs a couple years ago, nothing new has really been up for sale. Are Flawless collectors that well heeled? Like they wait for a $30 or $50 k sales point on any card to make a move?

* quarter bin cards fetching $2 and more

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by MavsRChamps

^ I agree on Walker being in the rotation a bit ... The announcers have been gushing over Tony Bradley in this series but my eye test just tells me he hasn't been that effective & clogs things down for Indiana bit. I'd explore Toppin at the 5 more behind Turner & rotate minutes so he's next to Siakam & Walker ... Essentially Walker would replace the 10-15 minutes of Bradley and be playing with Toppin

Indy lost their identity in the 2nd half to me - They need to maintain the high pace, maintain the offensive and defensive flexibility, and though he's not the reason they lost, Bradley is counter to all that and easy to plug out

I was thinking about what you saying. I actually like Bradley. It's hard to describe, but he's like Sheppard... veteran enough to know his role perfectly and good enough to execute it. I did like that dude who got injured though (Thomas Bryant). But he is a true veteran.

Some guy got all these for the price of a clean dual Kobe and Jordan:


Suprclctr or should we expect to see these on the auction sites in the near future?

[Nomad]

One one level, Game 6 is boiling down to a KAT-Brunson/Haliburton-Nembhard chess match. If Nesmith is out, don't expect physicality to play as much of a role.

As a Double A collector, you always are torn between what's best for the team and what's best for the player. As a Pacers fan I want to see the team win before the home crowd at Gainbridge in game 6, which Double A will likely sit out (or be on constrained role/minutes).

As a Nesmith fan, I want Dub A to be on a solid recovery arc that manifests in game 7 at the Garden, so his cards still have a few more days of speculation run and he can get fairly beat by the very best. Never mind what NY or the hobby wants (it's nice when medium-term aims coincide). A Game 7 at MSG would probably have the highest rating since Ali - Foreman. A lot of people want that one.

But then, just having the nice victory and getting to a nice little Midwest Finals would be such a relief. Could finally unclench.