Three Pacers That Can Keep Indiana Competitive With Tyrese Haliburton Out For Season

The Pacers person a agelong and difficult roadworthy up of them now that prima constituent defender Tyrese Haliburton is retired for nan season, recovering from an Achilles tear he suffered past June. The wounded couldn't person travel astatine a worse time—the squad had made an improbable tally to nan 2025 NBA Finals, wherever they forced a Game 7 against 1 of nan champion squads successful nan league, and could person perchance repeated that occurrence had they had their afloat portion (and champion player) returning successful 2025–26. (And that's without mentioning Myles Turner, who near to join nan rival Bucks successful free agency.)

Still, nan squad has not counted itself retired conscionable yet. According to aggregate outlets, they person nary intentions of simply letting this twelvemonth go, which intends everyone will request to measurement up their crippled successful nan injured level general's absence. So, that successful mind, who are their champion options moving forward?

Below, we'll return a look astatine 3 guys who could beryllium pivotal successful keeping Indy competitory for nan 2025–26 campaign:

With Haliburton out, Siakam becomes nan Pacers' champion player. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Siakam, nan Robin to Haliburton's Batman, is an evident prime to measurement up successful Tyrese's absence. The seasoned guardant averaged 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists successful nan 2024–25 regular season, past carried that power into nan playoffs, erstwhile he went 20.5/6.3/3.4. With Haliburton out, he is nary uncertainty nan team's brightest prima and will request to beryllium astatine his very champion to support them from sinking successful 2025–26.

A three-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA action and erstwhile NBA champion, Siakam has some nan acquisition and talent to lead nan discourtesy strategy himself. Last season, he classed 2nd successful touches successful nan frontcourt, down only Haliburton. He was besides first successful changeable attempts per crippled successful some nan regular play and playoffs.

Even so, Siakam has emphasized to his squad that it will return each of them to past this year, not conscionable 1 man present aliases there.

"I was telling nan guys, it’s not going to return 1 personification to switch Tyrese. We’re gonna each person to do it collectively,” Siakam said during Indy's media day. “And that’s nan measurement we’ve sewage to deliberation astir it.”

Bennedict Mathurin, guard

Mathurin is poised for a breakout play if things spell his way. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Mathurin, a defender retired of Arizona and Indy's first-round prime successful 2022, could person a breakout year, pinch coach Rick Carlisle having elevated him arsenic a day-one starter. He averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists successful nan 2024–25 regular season, and logic dictates he will only spot much action pinch Haliburton connected nan mend (and pinch Andrew Nembhard moving to constituent guard).

If location were ever a clip for him to make a large leap, now would beryllium it. It is besides a statement twelvemonth for him, truthful possibly that could animate immoderate better-than-ever play.

"I deliberation evidently we mislaid a awesome subordinate successful Tyrese," Mathurin said recently, per the Indianapolis Star. "I consciousness for illustration we person a batch of extent connected our squad to capable that. I'll person a small spot much state to spell retired location to beryllium myself, you know, wrong nan system, and I look guardant to going retired location and accomplishing a batch of awesome things."

Nembhard averaged 10 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists successful nan 2024-25 regular season. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Much for illustration Mathurin, this could beryllium Nembhard's large year. He will return complete arsenic level wide successful Haliburton's absence, which intends his minutes should jump significantly. Last season, successful 8 games without Hali, Nembhard averaged 11.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists. There is moreover chatter he could beryllium successful nan moving for Most Improved Player this play should things spell his way.

Nembhard averaged 10 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists successful nan 2024–25 regular season.

Bonus: T.J. McConnell, constituent guard

McConnell was a leader disconnected nan chair during nan Pacers' Finals tally past spring. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

McConnell is presently sidelined pinch a hamstring injury, truthful he won't person an effect successful nan contiguous future. And erstwhile he returns, he will still beryllium a backup constituent defender down Nembhard. Nonetheless, he could very apt beryllium a leader disconnected nan chair this season, arsenic he was during nan Pacers' NBA Finals tally past spring.

The Pittsburgh autochthonal went undrafted, but has carved retired a bully niche for himself pinch nan Pacers arsenic he enters his seventh play pinch nan team. In June, aft McConnell made NBA history pinch his capacity successful Game 6 of nan 2025 Finals, Haliburton praised his teammate's power and pacing, which he believes sets nan reside for everyone other connected nan court.

"I deliberation he conscionable does a awesome occupation of implementing gait into nan game. I deliberation we already do play fast, but erstwhile he comes in, group deliberation it's a clip to relax. No, that's a clip to prime it up for us," Hali told SportCenter's Scott Van Pelt. He brings successful truthful overmuch power to nan game, and I deliberation our crowd loves him. We telephone him nan 'Great White Hope.' It's cool to spot what he does."

All successful all, McConnell has proved that he tin and will measurement up erstwhile he is needed, whenever that mightiness be. That dependable beingness waiting successful nan wings could do tons to stabilize a shaky Indiana unit.

More NBA connected Sports Illustrated