The Indiana Pacers’ early-season slide has already put the backcourt under a brighter spotlight, and one possible answer has emerged in the form of Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier.
Indiana is 2-5 to start the year and has dropped four straight, a rough stretch that has quickly erased the momentum the team carried into the season. The bigger issue, of course, is the absence of Tyrese Haliburton. He’s dealing with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss a few weeks, leaving the Pacers without their star guard while they try to steady themselves.
The organization isn’t going to push Haliburton back before he’s ready. Hamstring injuries can linger, and Indiana plans to give him the time he needs to fully recover before returning to the floor.
That uncertainty could push the Pacers toward roster help, especially in the backcourt. Even once Haliburton is back, Indiana may still want another guard to ease the load and add depth for the rest of the season.
Collier has become a name to watch in that conversation. Utah declined his team option for the 2027-28 season, and his role has already shrunk this year. After averaging 25.7 minutes per game last season, he’s down to 18.5 per game in a small sample so far.
Last season, Collier put up 11.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the field. For a Pacers team looking for more help behind its injured star, that kind of production and playmaking could make him a sensible fit.
In Other News...
Pacers Trade Is Under Fire At The Worst Possible Time
The Pacers are already navigating a rough stretch, and the timing has made an old trade look even more painful. Indiana lost its 2026 first-round draft pick because of the protections tied to the Ivica Zubac deal with the Clippers, a cost that now feels especially steep with the team trying to hold things together through a difficult season.
Zubac has been limited in games for Indiana this year because of a left ankle injury, leaving the Pacers without the kind of return they hoped would soften the blow. Add in the injury to All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, and the combination has only sharpened the scrutiny on a move that is now being judged alongside the team's current struggles. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Got Caught In A Viral Julius Randle Moment
The Pacers were part of the backdrop for one of the more talked-about moments from Brooklyns first win of the season, a night that had just enough edge to turn a routine regular-season game into something more memorable. Julius Randles hard foul led to a rare on-court confrontation, and the exchange quickly took on a life of its own once a hot mic caught his warning to an opposing player.
Randle still finished the game with 20 points, five rebounds and six assists, which only added to the attention around the moment. He also had his next matchup on his mind afterward, looking ahead to a game against his former team, the New York Knicks, while the Pacers were left dealing with the kind of viral scene that can linger well beyond the final buzzer. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Could Catch A Huge Break Against Atlanta Tonight
The Hawks come into tonights matchup with Indiana already shorthanded, and that matters for a Pacers team looking to steady itself early in the season. Atlanta is dealing with a cluster of availability issues, including Jalen Johnson, who is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain, while rookie point guard Kingston Flemings is out because of suspension and center Jock Landale is sidelined with a hip strain.
For Indiana, the opening is obvious: a road game against a team trying to patch together its rotation can change quickly if the Pacers bring the right pace and pressure. Johnsons status is the biggest swing factor, especially with his uneven shooting this season, and the Hawks thin frontcourt and backcourt depth could leave them vulnerable if he cannot go. [Read more 🡒]