The Indiana Pacers’ 2026-27 outlook starts and ends with Tyrese Haliburton.
After the team’s recent additions, HoopsHype projected a rotation that puts Haliburton back at the center of everything, with Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac listed as the starters. The bench group includes TJ McConnell, Ben Sheppard, Kelly Oubre, Obi Toppin, Jay Huff, Braden Smith, Quenton Jackson, Kobe Brown, Jarace Walker, Larry Nance Jr., Jalen Slawson and Johnny Furphy.
For Indiana, the big story is simply getting Haliburton back on the floor after he missed all of last season. The Pacers are built around what he does when he’s healthy, and the numbers back that up. In 2024-25, he averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks per game and earned a spot on the All-NBA Third Team.
Over his Pacers career, Haliburton has posted 19.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks per game in Indiana colors. He signed a five-year, $244 million extension with the Pacers in July 2023, and his salary line keeps climbing: $48,924,624 next season, $52,298,736 in 2027-28 and $55,672,848 in 2028-29, the final year of the deal.
His production has been just as sharp in the postseason, where his career averages sit at 17.9 points and 8.4 assists per game. In the regular season, he’s at 17.5 points and 8.8 assists per game.
Haliburton’s absence last season left a real what-if hanging over Indiana. The source article notes the Pacers may have won Game 7 against the OKC Thunder had he not gotten hurt, and Haliburton himself admitted the injury still lingers in his mind.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it," Haliburton said on the " Numbers On The Board" podcast. "When I strained my calf, I knew it was a possibility.
We knew that internally. Kendrick Perkins was going on TV talking about don't play.
Get the f*** out of here. What is he talking about don't play.
I knew it was a possibility.
"In that moment, everyone talks about how it feels like you got kicked. I knew right away because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in front of me.
So I was like how did he kick me? There was a short moment while I was falling where I was like how did he kick me in the back of my leg?
And then I was like oh s***."
Indiana’s 2026-27 regular season begins October 21 against the New Orleans Pelicans.
In Other News...
Pacers Could Exploit Portlands Roster Crunch For A Needed Upgrade
Portlands trade for Ja Morant has created a logjam that could force the Trail Blazers to make some uncomfortable choices with the rest of their roster. With multiple players now fighting for limited minutes, the Blazers may have to look at ways to rebalance the rotation, and that kind of squeeze often opens the door to deals involving veterans and younger pieces alike. For a Pacers team always looking for ways to tighten the edges of its roster, that is the sort of situation worth watching.
Indiana has needs of its own, and Portlands crunch could put some appealing names within reach. Jrue Holiday, Vit Kreji and other pieces could become part of the conversation if the Blazers decide they need more clarity in their lineup, while the Pacers would also be keeping an eye on larger swings involving Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe or Scoot Henderson. Nothing is settled yet, but the overlap between Portlands surplus and Indianas needs makes this one of those trade lanes that can shift quickly if the Blazers decide to act. [Read more 🡒]
Pascal Siakam Faces A Bigger Pacers Question Than Any Ranking
Pascal Siakams place in the league conversation still looks sturdy, even if the broader Pacers outlook is shifting around him. HoopsHype ranked him No. 8 among NBA power forwards heading into the 2026-27 season, a nod to the blend of scoring, size and versatility he brought to Indiana after producing 24 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game last season.
The more interesting Pacers question is how that production looks once Tyrese Haliburton is back in the mix and the offense regains its usual shape. Siakams game has always fit best when he can attack from different spots and punish mismatches, but the return of another high-end creator changes the balance of touches, reads and late-game responsibility in a way Indiana will have to sort out quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Jarace Walker Might Be Facing His Biggest Pacers Season Yet
Jarace Walker already gave the Pacers a reason to believe last season, putting together career highs in points, rebounds and assists while carving out a larger role in the rotation. Now, as Bleacher Reports Greg Swartz sees it, he has a chance to be Indianas top breakout candidate for the 2026-27 season, a spot that speaks to how much the franchise thinks his game can still grow.
The path wont be as simple as a clean runway into the starting five, though. With Tyrese Haliburton expected back and Indiana projecting a first unit of Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac, Walker is set to come off the bench for now, which makes his next leap even more interesting. If the Pacers do make roster changes around him, the question becomes whether Walker can turn a stronger reserve role into the kind of season that changes his standing in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]