Tyrese Haliburton will miss the entire upcoming season for the Indiana Pacers. Team president Kevin Pritchard announced that the franchise star is expected to return only in the 2026/27 season after tearing his Achilles tendon.
The 25-year-old suffered the serious injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ironically, it was in the game that gave the Thunder their first title since moving to Oklahoma.
Tragically, Haliburton had already gone into the game with a calf injury and played through the pain in the first half before finally having to leave the court with a torn Achilles tendon.
Franchise star out for a year
Pritchard emphasized that Haliburton would be given the time he needed: “He’s our franchise player. We’re not going to take any chances.” So it’s clear that the Pacers will initially have to plan without their clear leader.
Haliburton had another outstanding season: 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game with strong shooting percentages (47.3% FGM) earned him a second consecutive nomination to the All-NBA Third Team. He was the linchpin for Indiana and played a key role in the team’s surprise run to the finals.
Pacers facing a difficult season
Without Haliburton, the Pacers will inevitably have to change their look. Whether there will be new signings or younger players like Andrew Nembhard will grow into bigger roles remains to be seen.