Overview
- Tyrese Haliburton suffered a right Achilles tear in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals and spent the 2025–26 season in surgery and rehab before returning to on‑court action this preseason.
- He logged 16 minutes in Indiana’s preseason opener, finishing with seven points and six assists, an encouraging but limited showing that leaves questions about his game readiness.
- The Pacers plan conservative load management and will rest Haliburton for even minor discomfort so the team can maximize his availability for the playoffs.
- External models currently rate Indiana as a dark‑horse playoff team with modest win totals, while Haliburton and GM Chad Buchanan publicly reject those forecasts and insist the goal remains a championship.
- If Haliburton regains full form, the Pacers’ Finals core and added frontcourt pieces could make them a true contender, but cautious minutes could lower regular‑season wins and change seeding and matchup dynamics in the Eastern Conference.