Tyrese Haliburton doesn’t sound worried about the Pacers’ new faces. If anything, he sounds energized by how quickly Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr. have slid into place as Indiana tries to build on the core already in place.
Neither player has appeared in a regular-season game with Haliburton yet, but that changes Wednesday when the Pacers open at the New Orleans Pelicans at 8 p.m. ET. Even before the games start counting, Haliburton is convinced the fit is already there.
“Our core is our core, right?” Haliburton said.
“Same group. We've got the same coaching staff for a long time now.
So I think our principles are our principles, and we're understanding of that, and that's been really good. I think it's hard when you have a lot of roster turnover, when you have a lot of coaching turnover.
It's hard to sustain success, and fortunately for us we've got the same group together for the most part.”
He pointed to the challenge of replacing what Indiana lost, but said the team has handled it well.
“Obviously we're missing two key pieces from our championship run, but we're filling those in, I think, pretty well,” Haliburton continued. “I think Zu has been really good for us, and Kelly's been really good for us, so we're excited about having those guys and everybody that we've brought into our group.
All those guys that fit really seamlessly for us. So it's going to be really exciting to chase this as a group.”
Haliburton said the connection goes beyond what shows up on the floor.
“And I think those guys fit in,” Haliburton added. “Obviously, you guys see how they fit in from a basketball perspective.
They fit in in the locker room. They fit in on the card table.
They fit in everywhere off the court as well. So it's been great to have these guys, and just looking forward to continue to build our relationships on and off the floor.”
Zubac came to Indiana from the LA Clippers on Feb. 5 in a deal that sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and three draft picks - including two first-rounders - to Los Angeles. At the time of the move, he was the Clippers’ longest-tenured active player and was averaging 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds.
The 29-year-old is under contract through the 2027-28 season and earned All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2024-25 with the Clippers. Before this season, he had already logged 684 NBA games.
His first stretch with the Pacers after the trade was limited to just five games, and none of his 118 minutes came with Haliburton or Pascal Siakam on the floor with him. That changed in the preseason, when Zubac finally got reps alongside both of them. He delivered 13 points and 13 rebounds at Oklahoma City on Oct. 13, then followed that with 11 points and 11 rebounds against Milwaukee three nights later.
Oubre brings a different kind of veteran presence. Washington took him 15th overall in 2015, and his career has taken him through Phoenix, Golden State, Charlotte and Philadelphia before he arrived in Indiana. He spent the last three seasons with the 76ers and agreed to a two-year deal worth about $17 million on July 1 before officially signing July 7.
Last season in Philadelphia, Oubre averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds. Across 705 career games, he has put up 13.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest.
Indiana may also need him right away. Aaron Nesmith missed the preseason finale and is out for Wednesday with a left hamstring strain, and Oubre scored 4 points on 2-of-5 shooting in that final tune-up. The projected starting five has Nesmith on the wing with Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Siakam and Zubac.
Siakam, meanwhile, likes what he’s seen from the newcomer and believes Indiana’s approach should make things smoother.
“I think he's been a great fit,” Siakam said. “I think the intangibles and the things that he does well fits with what we do.
His length, athleticism, he can guard, he can knock down the shot, he can also handle, and so I think he has all those tools, and he's a great person. I think hanging out and being around him, he's been awesome.”
“So I think just the way we play, it's like, again, equal opportunity,” Siakam continued. “And I think he's gonna have a great time playing with us, especially with that [attention] that we're going to get with our first unit. So it's going to be good for them and I'm excited.”
In Other News...
Pacers Open The Season With A Problem They Didn't Want
The Pacers head into their season opener already having to reshuffle the rotation, and the timing could not be much worse. Aaron Nesmith has been ruled out with a left hamstring strain, leaving Indiana without its starting small forward as it tries to get the new season moving in the right direction. His absence hands Kelly Oubre Jr. a chance to step into the lineup, while the injury also nudges the coaching staff toward more minutes for the wing depth behind him.
There is more uncertainty in the backcourt, too, with T.J. McConnell still sidelined by a right hamstring strain. For a team that leans on pace, pressure and energy, losing two rotation pieces before the first game is a frustrating start, especially when the bench is supposed to help stabilize things early. Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard are among the players who could be asked to pick up some of the slack, and the opening stretch now comes with an immediate test of Indiana's depth. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Trade Buzz Hints At A Bigger Plan Around Haliburton
The Pacers offseason chatter has started to sharpen around the idea that the front office is looking for more than just a bounce-back year. Bleacher Reports Dan Favale recently named three possible trade targets for Indiana in Yves Missi, Jaylin Williams and Jordan Walsh, a list that points to the kind of roster-building decisions the team may be weighing as it tries to keep pace in a crowded East.
A healthy Tyrese Haliburton changes the conversation almost immediately. Indiana is expected to take a step forward with Haliburton back from injury, and the projections reflect a team that could win a lot of games if the supporting cast fits properly around him. Haliburton already signed his five-year extension in 2023, so the long-term plan is clear enough - now the interesting part is whether the Pacers use trade talks to accelerate it. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Suddenly Face A T.J. McConnell Concern They Can't Ignore
T.J. McConnells availability has suddenly become an early Pacers concern, with the veteran guard expected to miss the first game of the season because of a hamstring strain. For a team that leans on his pace, energy and steadying presence, the timing is hard to ignore, especially with the regular season just getting underway and the point guard room looking thinner than usual.
McConnells value has always come from the same relentless style that has helped him last this long, even as he enters his mid-30s and continues to battle the wear that comes with playing that way. The bigger question now is not just how long he sits, but what Indiana does if this becomes more than a short-term issue, because there isnt a clear like-for-like answer waiting behind him. [Read more 🡒]