The Indiana Pacers are heading into the 2026-27 season with a different kind of buzz around them. After a frustrating, injury-heavy 2025-26 campaign, the outlook feels brighter again with Tyrese Haliburton back from his Achilles injury and Ivica Zubac in the starting lineup.
That optimism got a boost recently when LeBron James and Steve Nash broke down the Pacers on their Mind the Game Podcast. Both men had plenty to say about Indiana, and neither held back on the praise.
James, a four-time NBA champion, zeroed in on Haliburton right away. In his view, the Pacers go as their point guard goes.
"Nobody can move the needle like Tyrese can. And he is the head of the snake," James said.
"So, we'll see where he is physically. And if he's anything close to where he was before, then they're going to put themselves in contention."
James called that kind of impact rare and also pointed to Haliburton’s basketball IQ and his ability to speed up the game. He talked about how uncomfortable Indiana can make opponents when the Pacers are rolling, even tossing in a joke about the kind of preparation teams need before facing them.
"You got to really be ready to play them… You got to get a good nights rest and get off your feet the night before."
Nash, meanwhile, focused more on what Zubac could bring after the departure of Myles Turner. While some have wondered whether Indiana can keep its offensive identity without Turner’s floor-spacing, Nash sees a different answer in Zubac.
"I think Zubac is such an intelligent player. He is great around the basket," Nash said.
He also pointed to Zubac’s screening and the way his feel for the game could work alongside Halliburton and Pascal Siakam.
"I actually have high hopes for Zu as a fit there," Nash added.
Both former MVP's also acknowledge that Haliburton will need time to regain his rhythm following such a significant injury. James stressed patience, making clear the Pacers need to give their star guard room to work his way back.
For Indiana fans, the takeaway is simple: two all-time greats believe there’s real potential here. The questions haven’t disappeared - how fast Haliburton returns to form, and how the new pieces mesh remain the big ones - but if James and Nash are right, the Pacers could again be a serious problem in the Eastern Conference.
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The Pacers frontcourt picture has been thin enough that every bit of internal progress matters, and Rienk Mast has at least given the team something worth watching in Las Vegas and in the preseason. With Ivica Zubac entrenched as the starter and Jay Huff headed toward free agency, Indiana does not have much proven depth behind the five spot, which makes a productive undrafted free agent more than just a feel-good summer story.
Masts play has been strong enough to put him in the conversation for a 10-day contract and, beyond that, a chance to stick as a backup option. For a Pacers organization that has not always maximized player development in recent years, finding a useful rotational big from outside the draft would count as a real win, especially with the need in the middle growing rather than shrinking. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Still Have Two Lineup Questions Hanging Over Opening Night
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Tyrese Haliburton also spoke about getting his preseason work in and using that time to get mentally ready for the games that count. Carlisle did not have a fresh update on T.J. McConnells injury status, but he did offer an optimistic note on the point guards recovery. For a Pacers group trying to get all the details lined up before the real thing begins, those are useful signs, even if the last few pieces are still waiting to fall into place. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Haliburton Is Why The Pacers Feel So Hard To Judge
Tyrese Haliburtons return to the floor has been the biggest reason the Pacers can even be discussed in a contender conversation again. After last season unraveled without him, Indiana finished with just 19 wins and spent the year out of the playoff picture, a reminder of how much his presence drives everything the team wants to do. His preseason return suggests the knee-jerk skepticism around the Pacers may be outdated, because when Haliburton is right, Indiana looks a lot more like the group that had people taking it seriously in the East.
Still, the league is not ready to settle on what Indiana is yet. NBA general managers remain unsure how to price the Pacers this season, and Haliburtons recovery status is a big reason why the conversation keeps wobbling between optimism and caution. For a team that can swing from intriguing to vulnerable depending on one players health, that makes Indiana one of the hardest rosters in the conference to peg. [Read more 🡒]