Indiana Pacers 2026-27 NBA Preseason Preview

On June 22, 2025, the Indiana Pacers had been one sport away from probably successful their first NBA championship. n had opened Sport 7 of the Finals on hearth, g three deep threes within the first quarter towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

Then his proper Achilles gave out. He crumpled to the ground with out contact, and identical to that, the Pacers’ dream season led to heartbreak.

The whole lot that adopted felt like a hangover. r, the longest-tenured participant on the roster, d with the rival Milwaukee Bucks for $107 million after the Pacers had been g to offer him that a lot in free company. With out Haliburton and a big hole at middle, Indiana d 19-63 within the 2025-2026 season, the worst document in franchise historical past.

However that was all the time the plan. Type of.

The Pacers handled 2025-26 as a spot yr, biding time till their franchise level guard may return. They made one aggressive transfer on the deadline in gc from the Clippers. Indiana spent the remainder of the season growing their youthful gamers.

The lottery didn’t cooperate (extra on that later), however the core that reached the Finals is basically intact and bolstered. Haliburton is again. Zubac is right here. And expectations in Indiana are sky-high once more.

Pacers’ Largest Offseason Loss: The Full Value of the Zubac Commerce

Nominating Mathurin is admittedly dishonest; the Pacers traded him on the February deadline, not in the course of the summer time. However the ripple results of that deal outline this offseason greater than every other transfer.

To e Zubac (and n), Indiana despatched Mathurin, n, two first-round picks and a second-rounder to Los Angeles. The gamble was that their 2026 first-rounder (protected 1-4  and 10-30) would keep in home.

Spoiler alert: t. The decide landed at No. 5, simply outdoors the safety, and was conveyed to the Clippers. In a draft class broadly thought of the deepest in years, Indiana walked away empty-handed.

Nevertheless, the Pacers had been maybe alright with this. There was a r within the draft: a, n, r, and n. After that, there was a major drop-off. For the Pacers, anybody outdoors of that top-four wouldn’t have obtained significant minutes for a Pacers workforce filled with depth.

Mathurin was g a career-best 17.8 factors earlier than the commerce. However he was a restricted free agent on the finish of the season, and Indiana didn’t suppose they’d have the cash to signal him to a long-term deal, in order that they had been tremendous to half methods with the scorer who didn’t actually match their system as a ball-dominant scorer.

Mathurin d a relatively-cheap cope with the New Orleans Pelicans this summer time after the Clippers let him stroll. All-in-all, the commerce nonetheless tasks as a long-term win if Zubac and Haliburton click on as a pick-and-roll tandem.

The opposite notable loss flew below the radar. r, who emerged as a reputable rotation piece in the course of the tank yr (9.7 factors, 5.0 rebounds, 42.3% from three in 47 video games), was waived in July to create the cap house wanted to signal .

Potter was claimed off waivers by Portland two days later. Shedding a third-string stretch large capturing 52/42/84 for a 36-year-old on a minimal deal is a tradeoff the Pacers hope they gained’t really feel, however undoubtedly may in the event that they cope with extra accidents this yr.

Pacers’ Largest Offseason Addition: n

The precise greatest roster addition is Zubac. The largest free-agent signing is . (who d for extra money than Mathurin did). However the participant who didn’t go well with up final season and can make the largest affect this yr is Haliburton.

The numbers with out him converse for themselves: 19 wins; h in factors per sport. Two shedding streaks of 13 video games and 16 video games broke . All-Star m was the very best participant on the ground each evening, and even he couldn’t drag this roster to respectability with no lead guard who may orchestrate an offense.

Haliburton will probably be roughly 16 months faraway from surgical procedure when the season suggestions off in October. Advances in Achilles rehab supply cause for optimism, and his sport — constructed on imaginative and prescient, capturing, and tempo — relatively than pure explosiveness ought to translate higher post-injury than a typical downhill guard.

At Indiana’s media day on September 28, Haliburton made it clear he’s absolutely recovered.

“I’m wholesome. I’m 100%. There will probably be no restrictions,” he d reporters. “That isn’t information. There isn’t a supply. I’m the supply.”

Head coach e was barely extra measured, g the workforce would monitor his workload in session with the coaching employees, however the message was clear: “It actually seems that he has made an awesome restoration and an awesome return to play. Don’t anticipate loads of limitations.”

This workforce’s offense is designed round Haliburton’s capacity to push tempo, discover cutters and pull up from vary. With out him, the Pacers had no engine.

With him, nevertheless, they’ve some of the dynamic playmakers within the league.

Pacers’ Greatest-Case State of affairs Final result:

If Haliburton appears to be like just like the man who hit game-winning pictures in 4 consecutive playoff rounds earlier than the damage, this workforce has a reputable ceiling.

The Zubac-Haliburton pick-and-roll pairing has by no means performed collectively in an actual sport, however on paper it’s a nightmare for opposing defenses. Zubac set the t on-ball screens within the league over the previous two seasons and is likely one of the finest roll males in basketball. Haliburton is likely one of the finest passers. The match is clear.

Round them, the supporting forged is deep and skilled.

Siakam offers a go-to scorer within the half-court. d and h are confirmed playoff performers. Oubre and n add wing scoring off the bench. l stays the most effective backup level guards within the league. r took an enormous step ahead in the course of the hole yr, g 14.4 factors and 6.8 rebounds after the All-Star break whereas capturing 39% from three.

In a best-case situation, every part clicks comparatively rapidly, and the Pacers reclaim their spot as a prime seed within the East, with an actual likelihood to achieve their second Finals look within the final three years.

Pacers’ Worst-Case State of affairs Final result:

The Achilles doesn’t cooperate.

That’s the nightmare, and it’s not unreasonable. Haliburton is 26 and fashionable drugs has come a good distance, however Achilles accidents are nonetheless Achilles accidents. If he returns rusty, the offensive infrastructure falls aside. The Pacers don’t have one other participant on the roster who can replicate what he does as a creator and flooring normal.

The middle depth can also be regarding. Backup f can stretch the ground and document loads of blocks, however he’s not an actual affect participant on both finish of the ground. Whereas Indiana can thrive with Toppin taking part in l, towards greater groups just like the San Antonio Spurs, the Pacers may battle to gather rebounds. If Zubac’s incapability to stretch the ground clogs the paint, the spacing points may compound in a rush.

There’s additionally the matter of continuity. Haliburton hasn’t taken a sport rep in over a yr, and Zubac performed simply 5 video games in Indiana earlier than getting shut down for the season on account of damage. Carlisle’s teaching will probably be examined early, and with a troublesome schedule to start out the season (on account of taking part in within the gauntlet that’s B within the NBA Cup) the primary 20 video games may get ugly if the chemistry wants time to develop.

In a worst-case situation, Haliburton’s restoration lingers and the brand new items don’t mesh. Because of this, the Pacers discover themselves within the Play-In match.

Pacers’ Largest Query Heading Into 2026-27 Season:

Is Tyrese Haliburton nonetheless Tyrese Haliburton?

The whole lot funnels again to this. If he’s 90% of what he was earlier than the damage, this can be a 50-plus win workforce and an Jap Convention contender. But when the burst is gone, the margin for error decreases on a roster that traded away important belongings to win now.

Haliburton has stated all the correct issues throughout his restoration. The coaching movies look encouraging. However no one is aware of the reply till the video games begin counting, and Indiana’s complete season — and its long-term future — is using on it.

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