The Indiana Pacers will enter the 2025-26 NBA season without star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who continues to recover from an Achilles injury sustained in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Alongside Haliburton’s absence, the Pacers have also seen the departure of Myles Turner, who signed with the Milwaukee Bucks during the offseason. Despite these setbacks, Haliburton and the team maintain a confident outlook for the upcoming campaign.
Haliburton Reaffirms Team’s Resilience and Determination
Haliburton dismissed doubts about the Pacers’ prospects during his recovery, emphasizing the strength of the young roster.
“The proof is in the pudding,”
Haliburton told Bleacher Report.
“It’s never worked well for people to write us off in general. I don’t think that changes just because I’m not playing. We have a lot of young, hungry guys who have had success the last couple years.”
He stressed that the organization’s culture revolves around relentless effort and at no point does the team consider giving up.
“That success and chase for excellence is the standard within our organization. Nobody should expect us to lay down and not continue to fight and be the scrappy Pacers we are. I’m excited to watch what we do, and if people are doubting us they are going to have to continue being proven wrong.”
Veteran Leadership Echoes Haliburton’s Confidence
T.J. McConnell, a veteran presence on the Pacers, shared similar sentiments in an emotional piece for The Players‘ Tribune. He described the team’s painful loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder as
“the best basketball season of my life.”
However, he criticized media narratives that dismiss the Pacers after losing two key leaders.
“That’s the same bulls–t we’ve always dealt with in Indy—and it’s the same exact thing we’ve had to hear so many times over the last year,”
McConnell stated, highlighting the persistent skepticism faced by the team despite their recent, remarkable success.
The Remarkable 2025 Playoff Run That Captivated Fans
The Pacers’ 2025 postseason journey captured basketball fans with its improbable comebacks and thrilling victories. Indiana’s path included stunning upsets over the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks, propelled by a fast-paced style and clutch performances. The team defied expectations by overcoming deficits of seven or more points in the final minute in three separate playoff wins, rallying from 20-point gaps against both the Bucks and Cavaliers, and sealing wins with buzzer-beaters. Notably, Haliburton’s iconic shot capped a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks.
The team even claimed Game 1 of the NBA Finals by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Haliburton delivering the decisive last-second shot. Reflecting on the experience, Haliburton highlighted that beyond specific moments, the journey of bonding with teammates and gradually shifting the media narrative was most memorable. “The process of getting there,” he said,
“The games and those moments were special, but just the time we spent together and to see the narrative shift on all of us as the playoffs went on for the media to actually have to take us seriously and talk about us. And us being excited saying, ‘you have to talk about us, you have no choice.’”
He added,
“I think that was exciting for us. And just to spend more time together, getting dinners and hanging out on plane rides. We had locker room moments after those big games. Those are mainly what I think about. And really growing as a group was fun for us.”
Haliburton’s Role Expands Beyond the Court with NBA 2K26
While sidelined, Haliburton has taken an active role in promoting NBA 2K26, which is launching on September 5, with early access on August 29 for pre-orders. A milestone feature of this edition is the first-ever inclusion of WNBA Player Cards in the MyTEAM mode, allowing gamers to integrate NBA and WNBA athletes in their lineups. This marks a significant step in recognizing the growth of women’s basketball alongside the NBA.
Haliburton expressed enthusiasm for this addition, stating,
“The way our game is growing and how big the WNBA is becoming, not only as a league but with players individually, to be able to integrate them with us is the coolest thing. It’s a video game, so I feel like why not? WWE 2K did that this year where they integrated the women’s superstars, so I was hoping NBA 2K would as well.”
This provides Haliburton a virtual opportunity to team up with Indiana Fever star and close friend Caitlin Clark in the game.
“It’s well known the relationship I have with Caitlin Clark and how close we are,”
he shared.
“The problem is if I put her in the lineup, I’ll probably have to bump myself out of there. I’m excited to put her in the lineup for sure. Napheesa Collier is probably in line to win MVP, she’s amazing as well. There are so many people, but those are my two favorite players to watch in the league right now.”
Supporting the Team from the Sidelines During Recovery
Despite not playing, Haliburton plans to contribute as a leader by encouraging his teammates from the sidelines. He expects players like T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin to step up, while anticipating that Pascal Siakam will continue to be the clutch go-to option, a role he fulfilled during the playoffs. Haliburton also highlighted Andrew Nembhard as a key figure ready to take over some of his responsibilities at point guard.
“Everyone is going to step up in some way,”
Haliburton said.
“I’m excited to see Andrew Nembhard slide into becoming the full-time point guard with me out. Everyone’s role grows with me out, I don’t think it’s a thing where we have to replace me necessarily, but everybody’s role increases. … There are a lot of guys, but Andrew is who I’m most excited to watch filling in at my position. I’ll be trying to help as much as I can.”
Andrew Nembhard’s Defensive Impact in the Playoffs
Nembhard emerged as a crucial contributor during the Pacers’ Finals push, producing solid all-around statistics with averages of 12.5 points, 4.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46.5% from three-point range in the playoffs. His relentless defense was especially notable, as he frequently guarded opponents’ top scorers, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, and Donovan Mitchell. This defensive intensity helped free Haliburton to focus more on his offensive strengths, enhancing the team’s overall performance.
Haliburton’s Commitment to Returning Stronger Than Ever
As a two–time All-Star and fan favorite, Haliburton is focused on a full recovery and returning to form for the 2026-27 season.
“I’m just going to do my best to get back to being who I am,”
he stated.
“That’s the biggest thing for me. I’m really working my tail off to get my body right and get back healthy, and I will have a significant amount of time to do that. The goal is to get back to being who I am and beyond that.”
Pacers fans eagerly anticipate his return, confident that his perseverance and dedication will once again make him a cornerstone of Indiana’s future success.