The Indiana Pacers have officially ruled Tyrese Haliburton out for all of next season, and this is completely the right call.
Haliburton suffered a devastating injury during the Pacers' Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. Given how hot he started the game, many believe the Pacers would have ended up winning the game (and the title) had he not gone down. Unfortunately for Pacers fans, this will always be a "what-if." However, this does not mean they do not still have a bright future, because they absolutely do.
What Haliburton has going for him is that he is only 25 years old and should be able to at least mostly return to form once he comes back from his injury. Furthermore, the Wisconsin native officially being on the shelf next season will give him and his Achilles more time to recover. As is usually the case with Achilles injuries, the longer it takes for a player to come back, the more likely they are to fully recover.
The two-time All-NBA selection is a crucial part of Indiana's success. It is unfortunate that he will not suit up next season, but given the situation, this is the right move as the Pacers aim to remain in title contention for a long time.
The Pacers will look completely different without Tyrese Haliburton
In Haliburton's absence, the Pacers are expected to slide Andrew Nembhard over to the point guard role full-time. Additionally, as it stands, it seems that Bennedict Mathurin will move into the starting lineup and play alongside Nembhard in the backcourt. This, combined with the fact that Indiana lost Myles Turner in free agency, makes it apparent that their team is going to look different next season.
With Nembhard running the show, it is fair to assume that the Pacers are going to move away from their run-and-gun offense. Instead, they will likely rely a bit more heavily on traditional offense with set plays in the halfcourt to play to the Canadian native's strengths.
While the Pacers' offense is going to be far less dynamic next season, there is still a good chance for this to work. Nembhard is a natural point guard and has looked great during his limited opportunities as the lead guy in Indiana. Furthermore, this type of offense could benefit players like Mathurin, who excels in iso scoring situations.
Next season will be a good opportunity for the Pacers to showcase some of their younger players and maybe add some more weapons to their arsenal for the long run. The Pacers are still in a good position to be long-term title contenders given how young and talented the roster is. However, finding even more players who can be contributors for the long haul will be crucial.
Ultimately, the Pacers are still going to compete and look to remain title contenders. Though it will be difficult for them to go on another deep playoff run next year, they have constantly shocked the basketball world over the past couple of years. However, in order for them to have another shot at winning their first-ever NBA Championship, they need Haliburton to lead the way. Giving him all of next season off will give him and the team their best chances of reaching their goal.