The Pacers are betting on the return of the star point guard Tyrese Halliburton and adding a launch center Ivitsa Zubak to help them get back into the fray Jamal Collier writes in an article for ESPN.com.
Indiana advanced to the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals and was leading in the first quarter of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals before Halliburton tore his Achilles tendon. The Pacers lost the championship game to Oklahoma City, then were ravaged by injuries last season while Halliburton recovered from his own serious illness, eventually winning just 19 games, the fewest in franchise history.
The odds are pretty warm for the Pacers going into 2026/27 – in early October they were predicted to win 44.5 games.
“You can take (our preseason ranking) as disrespect, but at the same time you have to understand that we put ourselves in that position because of the way we played last yearHalliburton said.There are standards that we have not met that we must return to. And it’s no secret that there was a fallout last year.”
Still, Indiana is used to not being counted out, and Halliburton says the team’s championship ambitions “never wavered.”
“Finding that magic again is no guarantee» general director Chad Buchanan said ESPN. “But our core guys believe in each other. They feel that people have already written them off. That’s what happened in the two years we were running – people just gave up on us. That’s what fuels them.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Indiana admits it will take Halliburton and Zuback some time to develop pick-and-roll chemistry, but the team’s head coach is confident Rick Carlisle will find solutions when the duo face problems. “We have a great coach who understands everythingBuchanan told ESPN.This is his strength. When things aren’t going well and we’re not playing well — or (Zubak) isn’t the right fit, he adapts.”
- For now Aaron Nesmith was able to return to practice Thursday after injuring his hamstring during the Pacers’ second preseason contest, and he appears likely to suit up next week in the regular season opener, status TJ McConnell less certain, trans Zion Brown of The Indianapolis Star (subscriber link). The veteran guard has been out for the entire preseason with an undisclosed injury, and Carlisle said, “I’m hoping so,” when asked if McConnell would be involved in the Oct. 21 game against New Orleans.
- The Noblesville Boom — the Pacers’ NBA G-League affiliate — has his coaching staff announced for the 2026/27 season. Boom’s former assistant Bryce Taylor is the team’s new head coach and will be joined by assistants German Mandole, Conor McCaffery and Kelly Ferris as well as a second-year coaching staff Christian Siakamthe older brother of the star forward Pascal Siakam.
- In case you missed it, 2023 is the first election Jarras Walker and Ben Sheppard are eligible for a rookie scale extension until October 19. More information is available found here.