As the Indiana Pacers open up the 2023-24 season, let’s take a look at the best options to run offense alongside star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Haliburton recorded a stat line of 20.7 points, 10.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds a game last season while shooting 49.0% from the field and 40.0% from behind the arc.
1. Myles Turner
Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner is coming off a career year in which he posted 18.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He and Tyrese Haliburton’s points alone accounted for almost 24% of the Pacers’ offense.
Tuner’s name has come into some trade speculation over the past couple of years. The Pacers have moved on from names such as Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and Torrey Craig, but Turner has stuck around.
The big man put up great numbers last year, shooting almost 55.0% from the field, 37.3% from the three-point line, and just over 78.-0% from the stripe. He was also one of the leading blockers in the league.
Haliburton and Turner could give opposing defenses fits with pick-and-roll combinations. They also can light up the scoreboard with their inside-outside game, as both players show they have range.
Despite Haliburton only playing in 56 games for the Pacers, he started all of those contests. He averaged 33.6 minutes a game, while Turner averaged just under 30 minutes a game.
Turner saw a little bit more action than his starting point guard as he played and started in six more games than Haliburton did. As long as the Pacers do not move Turner via trade, these two are lined up to be a successful tandem in the NBA this year.
If both players can remain healthy and stay on the court, their numbers could improve even more. As a result, the Pacers should see more wins and climb up the standings in the Eastern Conference.
2. Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield also makes a nice partner for Tyrese Haliburton to light up the scoreboard with. Last year, Hield played in 80 games, starting in 73 of those contests.
Hield scored 1,344 points on the season. Combined with Haliburton’s output, that accounted for more than 26% of the offense.
The veteran swingman was consistent from behind the three-point arc as Hield shot 42.5% on the season. It was the first time he shot above 40% since the 2018-19 season.
Furthermore, Hield contributed 225 assists on the year, the second-highest total in his NBA tenure.
Partnered with Haliburton, these two could provide floor spacing and help spread the rock on offense. This will open up more shooters and create lanes to drive to the rim.
Haliburton and Hield being on the court simultaneously could be lethal for opposing defenses that cannot defend the deep shot or sustain either guard’s quickness.
Both Pacers averaged over 30 minutes during last season. They could easily be tagged with the same workload if Indiana qualifies for the playoffs for the first time in four years.
3. Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown has found a new home in Indiana. After a breakout season and winning a championship with the Denver Nuggets last year, Brown will look to help get the Indiana Pacers into the postseason.
In his lone season with Denver, Brown started in 31 of the 80 games he played in. He averaged 28.5 minutes, dishing out 2.4 assists when on the floor.
Brown shot 48.3% from the field and 35.8% from behind the arc. He also shot 75.0% from the free-throw line, which is on par with his career average.
With his 6′-foot-9 wingspan, Brown could be a great 3-and-D player in the rotation to play with Haliburton. His athleticism, ability to score, and defense also provide aid to some of the woes of the Pacers last year.
In his debut for the Pacers, Brown went off for 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting, including 6–for-8 behind the arc. He and Buddy Hield were tied for the highest +/- on team with a +15.
Alongside Haliburton in the starting lineup, the two accounted for 44 points of the 143 scored (30.7% of the offense). They each played a team-high of 27 minutes, as well.
The combination of Haliburton and Brown proved to be too much for the Wizards in the first game this season. Hopefully, this is a sign of greater things to come.
4. Obi Toppin
Obi Toppin has also journeyed to the Midwest to join the Indiana Pacers. The 6-foot-9 and 220-pound newcomer arrives in Indiana fresh off some significant playoff experience with the New York Knicks.
In his three years with New York, Toppin averaged 49.2% from the field but never put up more than 10 points a game. He averaged 14.7 minutes during his tenure for the Knicks but tallied 11 points and four rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
Toppin has shown he can shoot from distance a bit, too, as he is a career 32.5% three-point shooter. In Wednesday night’s game vs. Washington, Toppin went two for five from deep.
Inserting the forward into the starting lineup gives the Pacers a younger, more athletic presence to not only complement center Myles Turner, and it also provides another inside-outside punch for Haliburton to play alongside.
In his Pacers’ debut, Toppin also had a steal and an assist. His +/- was a +7 when on the floor for Indiana, too.
Having Toppin in the lineup as a lob threat and potential floor-spacer will help maximize what Haliburton brings to the table.
5. Bennedict Mathurin
Second-year guard Bennedict Mathurin will look to step up after a huge rookie year. Sharing minutes with Tyrese Haliburton will help with that.
Last year, Mathurin scored 2,462 points, which, combined with Haliburton’s total, made up 25.8% of the Pacers’ offense.
Mathurin played in 78 games and started in 17 of those contests. He averaged 28.5 minutes a game and was able to score big (43.4% field goal, 32.3% 3pt, and 82.8 FT).
If the Pacers look to ship Hield off in a trade after years of speculation, Mathurin’s role and importance to Indiana’s offense could increase. Both players can add to the scoreboard with ease, distribute the rock, and even create extra opportunities on defense by forcing turnovers.
In the season opener, Mathurin scored 18 points, four rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Though he only shot 6-of-15 from the field, the starting shooting guard made two of his six shots from three and all four of his free throws.
In 26 minutes for the Pacers, Mathurin only committed two turnovers and racked up one foul. Haliburton also added a steal and two blocks while only giving the ball away three times.
Haliburton has options on Indiana’s roster to thwart the Pacers into the playoffs. The All-Star point guard can’t do it alone, but he definitely has some support.