Tyrese Haliburton is set to step back on the floor at the place where his college career took off.
The Indiana Pacers open their preseason Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Iowa State, and Haliburton told local reporters Tuesday that he’s "very excited" to make his return from an Achilles tear in Ames. For a player who has become one of the NBA’s premier guards, the setting makes the comeback even more meaningful.
Haliburton’s last full season was a strong one. In 2024-25, he put up 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks per game and earned All-NBA Third Team honors. Across his Pacers career, he has averaged 19.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game.
The Pacers locked him in with a five-year, $244 million extension in July 2023, and his contract climbs to $48,924,624 this season before reaching $52,298,736 in 2027-28 and $55,672,848 in 2028-29, the final year of the deal.
Indiana is projected to roll out a starting five of Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac. On paper, that group gives the Pacers a strong foundation heading into the season.
Haliburton’s production has been steady in every setting. In the regular season, he has career averages of 17.5 points and 8.8 assists per game, and in the playoffs those numbers sit at 17.9 points and 8.4 assists per game.
His injury came at a brutal moment for Indiana. The source notes the Pacers may have won Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder if Haliburton had stayed healthy. That’s the kind of swing that can change everything.
Still, the team has moved forward with an eye on what comes next. Indiana opens the 2026-27 regular season on October 21 against the New Orleans Pelicans, and this offseason it added Larry Nance Jr., Kelly Oubre Jr. and Braden Smith.
HoopsHype’s projected 2026-27 rotation lists the same starters: Haliburton, Nembhard, Nesmith, Siakam and Zubac. And if Haliburton gets through this season healthy and looks like himself again, the expectation is that Indiana will push for another extension next offseason.
Nothing can be ruled out in today’s NBA, especially after the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, but all signs point to Haliburton spending the rest of his career in Indiana.
In Other News...
Tyrese Haliburton Gives Pacers Fans One Huge Reason To Watch Tonight
The Pacers finally get a real look at their new starting group tonight when they open preseason against the Timberwolves, and there is plenty of curiosity baked into the matchup. For Indiana, this is the first chance to see the lineup tested against another team after camp work, with the game offering an early read on how the pieces fit as the season approaches. Minnesota brings its own intrigue after an active offseason, so this is not just a tune-up for the Pacers but a first glimpse at where they stand.
Tyrese Haliburtons return from injury is the biggest reason Indiana fans will be paying attention, since his presence changes the tone of the entire operation. His availability gives the Pacers a centerpiece to build around again, and tonight should offer a useful look at how he moves with the new starting five around him. There are still plenty of questions left to answer, but this game at least starts to sketch out what Indiana can be once the games begin to count. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Championship Hopes May Come Down To One Deadline Decision
Tyrese Haliburton is back for the 2026-2027 season, but the Pacers are not exactly rolling into the year with a freshly restocked cupboard. Indiana missed out on the kind of draft break that can quietly change a teams ceiling, and after losing Myles Turner in free agency, the front office had to patch the middle of the roster by bringing in Ivica Zubac through a trade. It leaves the Pacers in a familiar but uncomfortable spot: good enough to matter, not yet complete enough to feel settled.
What happens next may hinge less on opening night than on February. With the Eastern Conference getting tougher and Indianas current core still needing help around Haliburton, the organization is expected to keep its powder dry for the 2027 trade deadline, when the right move could determine whether this season becomes a step forward or just another year of waiting on the edge of contention. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Preseason Opener Will Reveal Something Bigger Than The Score
The first preseason game will give the Pacers their initial live look at how this group is coming together, but it will not settle the biggest questions hanging over camp. Tyrese Haliburtons Achilles recovery remains a storyline worth monitoring, and the arrival of new faces such as Kelly Oubre Jr. and Ivica Zubac adds another layer to watch as Indiana starts sorting out rotations and roles.
What matters most early on is less about the final score and more about whether the group looks connected. For a team trying to build momentum for the season ahead, chemistry and morale can matter just as much as any box score detail, and this opener should offer at least a first glimpse of how well the Pacers are building that foundation. [Read more 🡒]