Pacers' Painful Start: Injuries, Missed Opportunities, and a Season Slipping Away
The 2025-26 season was never going to be smooth sailing for the Indiana Pacers. When Tyrese Haliburton went down with a torn Achilles, it was clear the team’s ceiling had dramatically lowered. And when Myles Turner left for Milwaukee, any outside talk of another deep playoff run quickly faded into the background.
But even without their star playmaker and defensive anchor, this year still mattered - a lot. The Pacers weren’t just playing out the string.
They had a chance to evaluate young talent, define roles, and figure out who could help carry the load when Haliburton returns. This was supposed to be a proving ground.
Instead, it’s felt more like a minefield.
Two months in, Indiana sits at 6-20 - just a game ahead of the Wizards, who currently own the NBA’s worst record. Injuries have piled up, rotations have been in flux, and the development curve many hoped to see from the supporting cast hasn’t quite materialized.
The expectation wasn’t a playoff push, but the hope was to see growth. Right now, that growth feels more like a question mark than a certainty.
Pascal Siakam: A Lone Bright Spot
Let’s start with the good - because there has been some. Pascal Siakam has taken on the role of lead option and is playing like a man on a mission.
Through 25 games, he’s averaging 23.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 47.6% from the field and a respectable 35.9% from three. That’s not just solid - that’s All-Star caliber production.
Siakam’s resurgence as a go-to scorer has been a reminder of what he’s capable of when given the keys. He’s not just keeping the Pacers afloat - he’s giving them a pulse on nights when the offense would otherwise flatline. And in a season like this, that kind of leadership matters.
Glimpses of Promise from the Young Core
Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, and Jay Huff have also shown flashes. Mathurin continues to evolve as a scorer, Nembhard’s playmaking has been steady, and Huff has made the most of his minutes. These are the kinds of developmental steps Indiana needed to see - players taking advantage of expanded roles and showing they belong in the rotation long-term.
But beyond that core group, the picture gets murkier.
Open Tryouts, Unclear Results
The Pacers are essentially running an extended audition this season. Familiar names like Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard are still trying to carve out consistent roles.
Newcomers like Garrison Mathews, Ethan Thompson, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and Cody Martin have all seen time on the floor. It’s a wide net being cast - and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The problem? While a few players have shown potential, it’s hard to say whether any of them are moving the needle in a meaningful way.
Walker, the former lottery pick, is finally starting to show signs of life after a slow start. Mathews has looked solid in spurts.
Thompson might even be a hidden gem. But here’s the tough question Indiana has to ask: *Can any of these guys help you win when it matters most?
Are Mathews or Thompson going to be part of a Finals rotation? Probably not.
Is Walker on track to become a reliable contributor on a playoff-caliber team? The jury’s still out.
And that’s where the concern creeps in.
A Season That’s About More Than Wins and Losses
It’s easy to look at the record and write this season off as a lost cause. But for the Pacers, this year was never just about wins and losses - it was about building something sustainable for when Haliburton returns. And right now, the foundation feels shakier than expected.
There’s still time. The season isn’t even halfway through, and development isn’t always linear.
Players can surprise you. Roles can evolve.
But if Indiana was hoping to come out of this season with a clearer picture of who’s ready to step up alongside Haliburton in the future, they haven’t quite gotten the answers they were hoping for - at least not yet.
And that might be the most troubling part of all.