The Indiana Pacers are heading into the 2026-27 season with a clear expectation: get back to being one of the East’s top teams. That kind of rebound does not happen on talent alone. It takes the whole roster holding up its end, and a few players stand out as the biggest swing pieces.
Tyrese Haliburton is the obvious headliner, but he is far from the only one. Indiana’s season could be shaped just as much by the supporting cast around him, especially with roles changing and new responsibilities waiting for several key players.
Jarace Walker is one of the clearest names to watch. He made a noticeable jump last season, and now the Pacers need even more.
With Bennedict Mathurin gone, Walker has a chance to step into that production. He averaged 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 37.4 percent from deep.
If that growth continues, Indiana may have found a real bargain in the fourth-year forward.
Andrew Nembhard is another major piece of the puzzle. Haliburton’s return changes the shape of his role, and that shift matters.
The Pacers do not want his confidence to take a hit, even if his usage drops. Nembhard may need to adjust back to his old responsibilities, but he could also be leaned on heavily early in the season while Haliburton works his way back.
Either way, he looms as one of the team’s biggest x-factors.
Ben Sheppard also enters the year with a lot riding on his shot. He hit 36 percent from three last season, a step forward that gives Indiana reason to believe he can help again.
If he wants minutes, that trend has to stick. The Pacers may need him more than expected, too, because he can bring energy off the bench and help keep the team playing fast and loose.
Ivica Zubac is facing a very different kind of pressure. He is set for a full season with Indiana after arriving in a trade last year, but he only played five games for the Pacers, so the sample size is tiny.
Now the task is much bigger: replacing Myles Turner. Zubac does not stretch the floor the way Turner did, but he brings better rebounding and should benefit from the easy chances Indiana’s playmakers can create.
And then there is Haliburton himself, the simplest x-factor of all. He is returning from a long injury recovery after last being seen in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, writhing in pain on the court. His comeback will shape everything else around him.
In Other News...
Pacers Make A Fan Experience Move With Indiana In Mind
The Pacers are adding another off-court piece to their operation with a new multi-year partnership that runs through the 2027-28 NBA season. Sky High Marketing will become the teams official partner for promotional product distribution and branded merchandise, a move that fits with the franchises long-running emphasis on making game nights feel bigger than what happens on the floor.
For Indiana, the appeal is in the fan experience as much as the branding. The Pacers have made community engagement part of their identity, and this deal gives them another avenue to connect with supporters across the state while keeping their look and in-arena feel consistent for the next several seasons. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Miss Reshaped The Central Race Around The Cavs
The Central Division picture has a different look for the Pacers now that the Bulls have been sorting through their own roster ideas, and Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic helped clarify one of the bigger side stories. Chicagos reported interest in Bennedict Mathurin was overstated, and the more meaningful swing involved Jonathan Kuminga, a player the Bulls liked but were never ready to back with a multiyear guarantee.
For Indiana, the takeaway is less about the names than the market around them. The Bulls were not prepared to promise Kuminga a starting role, and he ultimately signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, leaving Chicago to keep working around the edges of a reshaped Central race centered on the Cavaliers. Elsewhere in the divisions orbit, Steve Scalzi was named head coach of the Motor City Cruise, Detroits G League affiliate, replacing Jamelle McMillan. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Could Get A Cheap Look At Unexpected Young Talent
Memphis latest trade left it carrying 19 players, four over the roster limit, and the coming wave of cuts could leave some interesting young talent on the board. For teams with a little patience and a need for low-cost upside, that is the kind of paperwork chaos that can turn into an opportunity, especially when the players in question are still early in their careers and could be available without much in the way of acquisition cost.
The Pacers will be watching closely because there may be a chance to take a cheap look at someone who still has room to grow into a role. Among the names in the mix are young guards and wings who could appeal as developmental depth, and one of the more intriguing possibilities is a recent first-round pick whose stock has already become a little shaky. If Memphis follows through on the expected moves, Indiana could have a relatively easy path to make a claim for help at a spot where young, affordable talent is always worth exploring. [Read more 🡒]