Tyrese Haliburton is on the comeback trail, and it's looking promising. After missing the entire 2025-26 NBA season due to a ruptured right Achilles tendon, the All-NBA guard is feeling rejuvenated and ready to get back in action. Haliburton recently hosted his fifth annual youth basketball camp in Indiana, where he shared some insights into his recovery journey.
During his media session, Haliburton opened up about the challenges he's faced, including a surprising three-month battle with shingles. Reflecting on his ordeal, he mentioned, “I look back at videos of me, and I can see how swollen my face is.
I’m glad that’s beyond me now. I feel great.
Body feels great. I’m able to do everything.
I feel like I’m operating like I’m a healthy NBA player, for the first time in a long time, which is exciting.” For Haliburton, being able to participate in the camp without fielding questions about his health was a significant milestone.
The most heartening update from Haliburton? "I am operating like I'm a healthy NBA player."
This statement speaks volumes about his progress, especially considering he has until September or October to fine-tune his readiness for the Pacers' Training Camp. With no restrictions holding him back, Haliburton is gearing up for a strong return.
Sitting out for 16 months is no small feat for any athlete, but Haliburton's got a top-notch training facility in Indiana and a dedicated team of developmental coaches backing him up. He's putting in the work to ensure he's as prepared as possible for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Pacers General Manager Chad Buchanan also weighed in on Haliburton's recovery during a post-draft press conference, expressing optimism about the guard's return. While the Pacers might not be making a splash with blockbuster offseason moves, getting a healthy Haliburton back on the court could be their most significant addition this summer.
Haliburton's journey back hasn't been easy, but overcoming a rare bout with shingles while rehabbing from an Achilles injury is a testament to his determination. Expectations for his return should be measured, as re-acclimating to the speed and physicality of the NBA will take time. However, as the season progresses, fans can expect to see Haliburton finding his rhythm once again, ready to lead the Pacers with his trademark skill and tenacity.
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Jalen Slawson is in a similar holding pattern, only with a different kind of value. The Pacers extended him a two-way qualifying offer, which makes him a restricted free agent and keeps the door open on a player they saw real defensive potential from last season. Indiana has clearly identified both players as pieces worth retaining in some form, but the next step will determine just how secure those fringe spots really are. [Read more 🡒]
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The challenge is the usual one for a team that wants more talent without upsetting the books. Indiana would need to clear salary-cap space to make a move, and that part of the equation may end up mattering just as much as the player himself. Oubres recent production shows why hes on the radar, but whether the Pacers can actually make the numbers work is the question hanging over the idea. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Already Built The Kind Of Core Other Teams Still Want
Around the league, contenders are still chasing the formula Indiana already has in place. The Pacers built their roster around Tyrese Haliburton and gave him a co-star in Pascal Siakam, then added a reliable third option in Ivica Zubac, with a deep group behind them that makes the whole operation harder to pick apart. It is the kind of balance other teams spend years trying to manufacture, whether it is Minnesota pairing LaMelo Ball with Anthony Edwards or Golden State hunting another star to stack with Stephen Curry.
For Indiana, the bigger question is no longer whether the pieces fit. The Pacers already showed how far that structure can carry them by pushing all the way to a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, and the conversation around them has shifted to whether the group can stay healthy enough to get another crack at that level. In a league obsessed with star pairings, that is the part worth watching in Indiana: the core is in place, and the margin for the Pacers now may come down to something far less glamorous. [Read more 🡒]