The Indiana Pacers may not be finished yet in the offseason, but the team clearly has a key core group to bank on in the upcoming 2022-23 NBA season. On the first year of an actual rebuild, all eyes will be on the development of the young Pacers as they seek to climb the league ranks.
Barring any franchise-tilting moves, which is extremely unlikely at this juncture, Indiana could go with the starting unit of Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Bennedict Mathurin, Jalen Smith, and Isaiah Jackson. With existing position overlaps thereon, nothing is set in stone, but this unit makes the most sense to start games for the Pacers.
With that out of the way, here are bold predictions for each starter next season.
Indiana Pacers starting PG: Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton averages 20-10 and makes strong All-Star case
Tyrese Haliburton is easily the Indiana Pacers’ best player as currently constructed. Now projected to be the head of the snake for the team next season, his numbers will easily shoot up once more in his third season.
However, with Haliburton handling the rock for the most part, he cold viably average a double-double next season. In fact, in 26 contests with the Pacers so far, he flirted with the threshold, averaging 17.5 points and 9.6 assists per game.
Both marks should improve further with the young playmaker cudgeled into a more domineering role, a mold which coach Rick Carlisle has always preferred for his point guards. Haliburton averaging 20-10 may not be as bold of a prediction as the season comes, but he should make a bold case for an All-Star berth, even in an ever-improving Eastern Conference.