The Pacers have a starting five that can make people look twice.
Tyrese Haliburton is back, Pascal Siakam is still one of the league’s steadiest forwards, and Ivica Zubac gives Indiana a new look in the middle. Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith round out a group that, on paper, doesn’t leave many easy openings.
That doesn’t automatically make it the best five-man unit in the East, though. The real question is where Indiana belongs when you line it up against the conference’s top groups.
One view from around Sports Illustrated was that the Pacers don’t have the biggest star power, but they do have something that matters just as much: balance. The four returning players already know how to play together, and they’ve done it at a high level. Zubac, described as a talented and skilled “Big Zu,” should fit in without too much trouble.
If there’s a spot to pick at, it’s small forward. Nesmith is listed at 6-foot-5, so Indiana doesn’t have elite size there.
But his physical style helps cover that gap. Between floor spacers, ball handlers, post players, and drivers, the Pacers bring a little bit of everything.
The debate gets tighter at the top. One take was that Philadelphia has a better starting five on paper, but injuries and chemistry push the 76ers just behind Indiana.
New York was also mentioned as a team with a case, especially after winning a title with its starting five doing most of the heavy lifting. Still, Indiana was seen as a group that could beat that lineup, even without Zubac, and at full strength the Pacers were called a 50-50 proposition with the Knicks.
From there, the Pacers were placed in the conversation for second-best in the East, behind New York’s top returning lineup. Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Miami were all part of the discussion, with the 76ers and Cavaliers right there in the mix.
The case for Indiana comes back to fit. Haliburton getting off to a strong start matters.
Zubac is viewed as a plug-and-play piece. And the rest of the Pacers’ starters already reached a Finals together, which gives the group a head start that some of the East’s other contenders won’t have.
Cleveland was also mentioned as a team that could jump ahead with Peyton Watson on board, though the question there is whether James Harden and Donovan Mitchell can gel enough to make that call confidently. With Philadelphia, the concern is that the talent is obvious, but five players who all seem to need the ball is not the cleanest fit.
Miami was described as compatible, but still needing to prove it on the floor. Detroit has to adjust without secondary scorer Tobias Harris, Orlando is still figuring out what it has because everyone is rarely healthy at once, and Boston is replacing Jaylen Brown as its star with the returning Jayson Tatum.
That leaves Indiana with a real argument. If Haliburton looks like himself, the Pacers’ starting five could end up higher in the East than plenty of people expect.
In Other News...
Pacers Gamble On From Myles Turner Looks Smarter Than Ever
When Indiana let Myles Turner walk, it was a franchise-shaping decision, the kind that invites immediate second-guessing. Turner landed with the Bucks on a four-year deal worth $108.9 million, while the Pacers moved on by trading for Ivica Zubac and positioning themselves for the 2026-27 season with bigger goals in mind. It was a clear bet on reshaping the roster rather than trying to keep the old core intact.
Early signs have only added to the debate, because Turners first season in Milwaukee produced his lowest statistical averages since his rookie year. For Indiana, that doesnt automatically make the choice look right or wrong, but it does sharpen the context around what comes next. The Pacers wanted flexibility and a path toward a title run, and now the question is whether the pivot away from Turner ends up being the move that gives them the ceiling they were chasing. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Fans Can Already See Milwaukees Myles Turner Problem
Myles Turners exit from Indianapolis was always going to linger, but the timing has made the comparison even easier for Pacers fans to spot. Indiana moved on from its longest-tenured player by turning to Ivica Zubac on a more favorable contract, while Turner landed in Milwaukee carrying the kind of deal that tends to invite scrutiny the moment the results wobble.
For the Pacers, the bigger takeaway is not just that they replaced Turner, but that they did it without inheriting the same financial baggage. Turner still brings shot-blocking and a recognizable skill set, but the questions around his overall defensive impact and efficiency have followed him into Bucks conversations, and that makes his contract look even heavier from a distance. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Zubac Trade Suddenly Looks Different Than Fans Remember
When the Pacers struck the deal for Ivica Zubac, the trade package looked as steep as any recent move in the league. Indiana sent out multiple assets, including two first-round picks and players Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, in a swap that was meant to reshape the frontcourt and give the Clippers a major return. The transaction was already going to be judged on whether Zubac could justify the price, and now the way the deal is remembered has shifted again.
A guilty verdict against the Clippers in a cap circumvention scandal changed the optics even more, costing Indiana a 2029 draft pick tied to the trade. It does not alter the actual pieces exchanged between the teams, but it does leave the Clippers' return to the Pacers reduced to Keaton Wagler in the aftermath. For Indiana, the broader question remains the same: whether the on-court value of Zubac can still make a deal this expensive feel worthwhile. [Read more 🡒]