Tyrese Haliburton is still drawing top-tier respect even while he sits out the 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey put the Pacers guard at No. 1 in his ranking of the best NBA player at every age, naming Haliburton the league’s top 26-year-old. The list stretched from Cooper Flagg at 19 all the way to LeBron James at 41.
For Pacers fans, the idea that Haliburton is “the best” at something probably feels familiar. He’s already been viewed as the Steve Nash of this generation, and the reasons are obvious: he’s fast with the ball, sees the floor like few others, shoots it from deep and tends to be a step ahead of the defense.
Haliburton was one Achilles tear away from being an NBA champion, and even with more than a year away from the court, he’s still earning praise as one of the league’s elite. He’s also become a leader for Indiana on and off the floor, the face of the franchise, and a player respected enough to make his way onto Team USA alongside veteran stars like Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Bailey’s list had plenty of other strong 26-year-old names near the top, including Darius Garland, Jaren Jackson Jr., Trey Murphy III and Tyler Herro. Zion Williamson and Devin Vassell could also make a case, while Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith would be in the Top 10. Still, none of them are on Haliburton’s level.
That’s part of what makes this such a positive sign for Indiana. The Pacers have three starters in the middle of their prime at the same age, and there’s no real reason to think that core can’t stay together for years.
Since arriving in Indiana, Haliburton has climbed into the league’s elite tier, and this latest recognition only reinforces where he stands. He’s the best 26-year-old in the NBA.
In Other News...
Pacers Never Got The Version Of Victor Oladipo This Core Needed
Indiana has spent years cycling through star guards and wings, and Victor Oladipo sits right in the middle of that conversation. Paul George gave the franchise a long runway as a two-way centerpiece, while Tyrese Haliburton has become the face of the current group as a gifted organizer and shot creator. Oladipo, though, arrived with the kind of burst and edge that can change a teams ceiling, only for injuries to interrupt the arc before the Pacers could really see what his best version might have looked like in their uniform.
The intrigue now is how naturally Oladipos skill set would have fit this roster. His ideal place always seemed to be as a complementary star, not someone carrying every possession, which is why a lineup built around Haliburton and Pascal Siakam makes the what-if even more interesting. Indiana never got the version of Oladipo this core needed, and even years later it is easy to wonder how different the Pacers last few seasons might have felt if his prime had lined up with the teams present-day spacing and playmaking. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Suddenly Have A Lot Riding On The Clippers Future
The NBAs punishment of the Clippers has changed the draft picture in a hurry, and the ripple effects reach teams that have been watching that franchises future assets for years. Los Angeles lost five first-round picks and was fined $30 million, leaving it with just three first-round selections to work with, including two from Toronto and one tied to the Ivica Zubac trade. For clubs trying to map out the next few drafts, that kind of reset can reshape both the market and the value of every remaining pick the Clippers control.
For the Pacers, the bigger question is what happens next if those limited assets become the centerpiece of future trade discussions. Summer league also kept Keaton Wagler in the conversation, and his performance added another layer to the broader roster outlook, but the draft side of this story now feels especially important. When a team like the Clippers loses so much of its draft capital, every remaining pick carries more weight, and Indiana has reason to keep a close eye on how that future unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Victor Oladipos NBA Comeback Could Reopen A Complicated Pacers Memory
Victor Oladipos push to get back into the NBA has reached another notable checkpoint, with the former Pacers guard now cleared by the Heat to work out at their arena as he continues his recovery. After multiple injuries, including a ruptured quadriceps tendon and a torn patellar tendon, the path back has been long and uncertain, but the latest step suggests there is at least still a viable lane for a return if his body cooperates.
For Indiana fans, Oladipos comeback inevitably stirs an old mix of excitement and what-ifs. He was once the face of a Pacers team built around his two-way energy and leadership, and any real chance at another NBA opportunity would reopen memories of how promising that era felt before injuries changed everything. Miami may be his best opportunity at the moment, but the bigger question remains whether he can complete the climb and earn one more shot this season. [Read more 🡒]