NBA Preview: Pacers ready to prove last season was only a detour

The Pacers went from Game 7 of the NBA Finals to 19 victories in the span of one season.

Now comes the bounce back. Or at least that’s the expectation.

Tyrese Haliburton is returning after missing all of last season while recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered in the deciding game of the 2025 Finals. Pascal Siakam remains in place. Rick Carlisle is still pushing the buttons.

Indiana also has a new starting center in Ivica Zubac, acquired at last season’s trade deadline with Haliburton’s eventual return in mind.

The Pacers aren’t rebuilding from 19-63. They’re attempting to resume what they started two years ago.

What changed

Indiana conducted most of its major business early, acquiring Zubac from the Clippers in February.

The price became considerably more painful when the draft pick included in the deal landed at No. 5. If Keaton Wagler becomes a star in Los Angeles, Pacers president Kevin Pritchard will hear about it for years.

Zubac should still represent a clear upgrade over Myles Turner, who started at center during Indiana’s Finals run. He gives Haliburton a powerful screen-setter, interior scorer and dependable rebounder who can finish the opportunities Indiana’s point guard creates.

The Pacers otherwise concentrated on their bench, adding Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. on short-term deals. Neither qualifies as a dramatic acquisition. Both should help a team that needs experienced reserves while Haliburton works his way back into form.

The biggest question

How quickly will Haliburton look like Haliburton again?

Indiana’s entire style begins with him. He creates pace, finds openings before defenses recognize them and raises the offensive value of nearly everyone around him.

The Pacers reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2024 and the NBA Finals in 2025 with Haliburton directing the operation. Without him, the system lost its engine.

His return comes roughly 16 months after the Achilles injury, giving him more recovery time than many players receive. That doesn’t guarantee he will immediately regain his burst, rhythm or late-game confidence.

Indiana doesn’t need Haliburton to reproduce every memorable moment from the Finals run in October. It does need him healthy and approaching his old form by spring.

If that happens, last season becomes what the organization always hoped it would be: an unpleasant gap year.

The supporting cast

Siakam provided Indiana with a proven scorer and stabilizing presence during Haliburton’s absence. He should benefit from returning to his more natural role instead of carrying an offense that wasn’t built to operate without its point guard.

Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell also remain from the Finals team.

That continuity matters. These players already understand how to run with Haliburton, move without the ball and attack before the defense gets organized. The concern is what happens when the starters sit.

Bennedict Mathurin is gone. McConnell declined last season, although some of that may have resulted from playing without Haliburton. Oubre can score, and Nance can defend multiple frontcourt positions, but Carlisle may have to manufacture another dependable reserve from a thinner group.

Indiana’s bench was a weapon during its Finals run. This season, it merely needs to avoid becoming a weakness.

The X-factor

Zubac changes the geometry of the Pacers’ offense. Turner stretched defenses with his shooting. Zubac will operate closer to the rim, setting hard screens, rolling into the paint and creating second-chance opportunities.

That requires an adjustment, but Haliburton has a history of maximizing big men. Zubac is coming off a season in which he surpassed Turner in scoring, rebounding, player efficiency rating and win shares, according to ESPN.

The Pacers paid a major price because they believe he can help them win now. This season begins the process of determining whether they were right.

The outlook

ESPN’s Basketball Power Index ranks Indiana 15th entering the season. That feels like a reasonable acknowledgment of both its upside and uncertainty.

The Pacers have a star point guard returning, an All-Star-caliber forward in Siakam, a productive center and much of the supporting cast that reached the Finals.

They also have a thinner bench, a stronger Eastern Conference and no guarantee that Haliburton will immediately resemble the player he was before the injury.

A championship run may be asking too much. A return to the playoffs should not be.

Last season showed what the Pacers look like without Haliburton. This season will reveal how much of their old magic he can bring back.