The Minnesota Timberwolves are the first challenger to the Indiana Pacers' season as Indiana's preseason journey begins at Tyrese Haliburton's old home on the Iowa State campus at Hilton Coliseum.
While the Wolves themselves are entering their second preseason game, this will be the first foray into the new season for the Indiana Pacers. There are any number of things to get excited about, and any number of things to be curious about, but there are a few things that stand out.
Let's get to them.
Haliburton's return and the ticking clock on this era
Tyrese Haliburton's return is the biggest storyline the Pacers have probably ever had. The questionable status of a fringe top-10 player who, when we last saw him, was leading a team to a very near upset in Game 7 of the NBA Finals cannot be overstated.
Additionally, the Pacers are returning a far better team, and one that will optimize Haliburton to be better in the half court and to ease him into the duties he will have to be taking on. With so much relying on him, there's even an outside shot at some award races.
However, the inverse is also true. This is the most dangerous single plot point the Pacers have had in a very long time. Now, while the Malice at the Palace completely destroyed the team for years to come, ruining any chance for Reggie Miller to win a title, it happened on a random night with nothing to anticipate that destruction. Tyrese Haliburton not returning to his level of play is something that people have been theorizing about for months.
Just because it's been a conversation for so long, does not mean it would be any less devastating to this team and this fan base.
Who will be a surprise piece? Is there anyone?
Fringe roster players becoming difference makers is an incredibly fast way for teams to go from good to great. Getting value out of minimum contracts, or even two-way players, is the quickest way to get to what contenders have in spades: undervalued contracts.
It is when these lowly paid players create so much surplus value from their contract that everything falls into place for a true contender. While the Pacers have an excellent team, it is fair to wonder if they have any options to find that.
Preseason will provide a larger glance at those players than the regular season will, as minutes can be given out frivolously, and second halves are usually considered garbage time, no matter the score.
Keep an eye out for Jalen Slawson in particular, who is looking to string an excellent end to the season to an incredibly strong summer league, and now, finally, to to aiming for a rotation spot.
With so much on the line for this season, there's more to watch out for. But that will have to wait for another day.
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