The challenge that lies ahead for the Indiana Pacers with the absence of Tyrese Haliburton
The team had an extraordinary season reaching the NBA Finals and losing in 7 games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but now they will have to play without their superstar
The Indiana Pacers are not the first team to face a challenging path right after reaching the NBA Finals. In 2011, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the powerful Miami Heat only to have their then-owner Mark Cuban dismantle that championship roster a few months later. Fourteen years later, Dallas repeated the pattern: after making the 2024 Finals with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, they opted to trade away their franchise player.
The irony is evident: Rick Carlisle, the current coach of the Pacers, was also the coach of the 2011 Mavericks. However, this time his team has had better luck. Indiana has not lost its entire core from the Finals roster, but the outlook remains demanding, with plenty of questions heading into the 2025-26 season.
After their surprising journey to the Finals, the Pacers knew they needed to find a way to fill the void left by Tyrese Haliburton, who got injured during the title series. What they didn't expect was having to also replace Myles Turner, one of the cornerstones of the project.
Although the team was aware that Turner would explore free agency, Carlisle stated on June 24 on the station 107.5 The Fan that his renewal was the franchise's "number one priority." Nevertheless, the center didn't perceive that commitment. Early in July, he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, leaving Indiana without their defensive anchor or threat from the perimeter.
If the management had foreseen that outcome, perhaps they would have used their 23rd pick in the 2025 Draft differently. Instead of trading the selection to New Orleans, they could have opted for a young big man. Today, the sole reinforcement for the center rotation is Jay Huff, a 27-year-old player with 95 games of experience in the league.
Huff presents an interesting profile: he averaged 6.9 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in just 11.7 minutes per game, with a 40.5% in three-point shooting last season. In the 37 games where he played over ten minutes, his stats rose to 10.8 points and 44% from beyond the arc. His ability to stretch the floor and protect the rim makes him resemble Turner more than the other centers on the team, Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, or Tony Bradley.
With Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard expected to start in the backcourt, having a center who can maintain spacing could be crucial. Nonetheless, Jackson is more familiar with Carlisle's system, and it's not out of the question that Indiana might seek a trade for a starting-level center like Jarrett Allen from Cleveland.
Can Bennedict Mathurin play at an All-Star level?
Carlisle has already confirmed that Mathurin will be a starter this season. It's not an entirely new role: the shooting guard has started 85 games in his young career. But with Haliburton out for the year and Turner in Milwaukee, the Canadian has a golden opportunity —and a big responsibility— to become the team's second offensive option.
The main offensive burden will fall on Pascal Siakam, who averages 20.6 points per game since arriving in Indiana, shooting 53% from the field and nearly 39% from three-point range. Nevertheless, his personal scoring record was 24.2 points in 2022-23, far from the combined 34 points contributed by Haliburton and Turner.
Siakam cannot fill that void alone. The growth of Mathurin will be crucial. In his rookie season, he already averaged 16.7 points, and when he exceeds 30 minutes on the court, his numbers rise to 20.7 per game. The question is whether he can maintain that production consistently against defenses more focused on him.
If both Siakam and Mathurin manage to reach an All-Star level, averaging around 25 points each, the Pacers might sustain their competitiveness without Haliburton. However, that is as ambitious as it is uncertain.
Beyond their stars, all rotation players must step up their game if Indiana aims to stay in the elite. Among them, Andrew Nembhard will likely be the first to take on a larger role, especially with TJ McConnell sidelined for at least a month with a hamstring injury.
Nembhard and Haliburton are very different point guards. Nembhard excels at attacking the rim and perimeter defense, while Haliburton stands out for his vision and outside shooting. In other words, Nembhard is not a pure playmaker or natural three-point shooter, but he brings physical presence and aggressiveness that could add another dimension to Carlisle's offense.
What he has proven is character under pressure. In the past playoffs, he averaged 13.5 points and 5 assists, with an impressive 47.3% in three-point shooting. If he can translate that level to the regular season, the Pacers could find in him an unexpected catalyst to stay in the Eastern Conference race.
The Pacers emerge from their Finals adventure with more questions than certainties. Without Haliburton, without Turner, and with a young roster that will have to mature forcibly, Indiana faces a transitional season that will test its identity.
Rick Carlisle has experienced something similar in his career: fleeting success, unexpected departures, and silent rebuilding. However, this time, the mission is different. It's not just about rebuilding but also about keeping the faith in a project that has shown it can compete with the best. The challenge will be immense, but so is the opportunity.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El reto que tienen por delante los Indiana Pacers con la ausencia de Tyrese Haliburton
