The LeBron James move to Philadelphia changes the board in a big way, and it leaves the Indiana Pacers sitting in a tricky spot as they head into the next chapter.
James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, instantly giving them a loaded group that also includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe. That kind of top-end talent reshapes the conversation around the East, while Indiana is left to sort out its own direction after a season defined by extremes.
The Pacers added Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. in free agency, but the bigger story remains what happens with the players already in place. Without Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana had a brutal season last year and finished with only 19 wins. Pascal Siakam was the bright spot, putting up 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while earning his fourth All-Star nod.
Haliburton’s 2024-25 season was the other side of that coin. He averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks per game, good enough to make the All-NBA Third Team. He also helped power Indiana through a memorable playoff run, as the Pacers knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks to reach the 2025 NBA Finals.
That run ended with the Oklahoma City Thunder beating Indiana in seven games, and the Pacers lost Haliburton in Game 7 when he tore his Achilles tendon.
Now the franchise has major decisions to make. It will be fascinating to see whether Indiana signs Haliburton and/or Siakam to extensions this offseason. The Pacers can offer Siakam a $207 million extension, while Haliburton is eligible for a two-year, $121 million extension.
There’s also the lingering cost of the Ivica Zubac trade. Indiana lost its first-round pick in the 2026 draft because of that deal, after sending two first-rounders to the Los Angeles Clippers. One was in 2029, and the other was this year’s first if it fell outside the top four, or a 2031 unprotected first-rounder if it did not.
The Pacers needed to land in the top four to keep the pick, but the Washington Wizards moved up in the lottery and Indiana ended up fifth. That meant the pick went to the Clippers.
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Caitlin Clark Was Stunned By What LeBron Means For Philly
During WNBA All-Star Weekend, Caitlin Clark had plenty to say about the latest NBA shockwave, and her reaction carried the kind of surprise that comes when a league-altering name changes the balance of power. Clark said she had expected LeBron James to wind up back with a familiar franchise, then shifted quickly to what the move could mean for the Eastern Conference, where every contender suddenly has to reassess the road ahead.
Clark also made clear how much James has meant to her as a player she has admired for years, while tying the moment back to her own connection to Indiana basketball. She even joked about trying to bring him to the Pacers, a reminder of how far his decision reaches for fans who spend all year tracking the East, and how quickly one move can redraw the conversation around the teams they follow most closely. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Haliburton Just Gave Pacers Fans The Sign They Needed
Tyrese Haliburtons latest appearance around the Pacers gave fans a jolt of optimism. Indiana posted video of him working out at the teams practice facility, and the clip showed enough bounce to remind everyone why his presence changes the whole feel of the franchise.
Haliburton still has a long road ahead after his Achilles injury, and the Pacers have already ruled him out for the coming season. Even so, the organization remains hopeful he can be ready for the 2026-27 opener, and seeing him back in the gym doing something as explosive as an Eastbay dunk is the kind of update that naturally keeps the wait from feeling quite so long. [Read more 🡒]