The Indiana Pacers did not even try to compete this season, which was disappointing for fans but shows just how highly they view their star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
The Pacers' magical run through the NBA playoffs breathed life into a fan base that had not been to the NBA Finals in over two decades. Led by Tyrese Haliburton and supported by the perfect system and exactly the right players for the job, the Pacers made it all the way to Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Then Haliburton tore his Achilles on the biggest stage, at the pinnacle of NBA basketball, and all-but handed the title to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the process. Without Haliburton the Pacers were outmatched against an already-superior foe, and while they hung tight for as long as they could, it seemed inevitable that the Thunder would ultimately win Game 7 and the championship. The Pacers wihout Haliburton are not truly the Pacers.
In a blink, not only did Indiana's chances in that game disappear, their entire plan for 2025-26 changed as well. It truly appeared, from the outside and from insider reporting, that the Pacers would break their self-imposed barrier and move into the luxury tax to retain two-way stretch big Myles Turner and keep intact the core of the team that made it within a half of winning the NBA Finals.
All of that changed with Haliburton's injury. The Pacers lowballed Turner, reportedly offering just $23 million per season when he was rumored to have offers of $30 million or more on the open market. Turner asked for $27, and when the two sides could not work something out, he pivoted to sign with the rival Milwaukee Bucks in a stunning move that no one saw coming.
The Pacers didn't pivot into some big acquisition to shore up the center position, either. They brought back a few backup bigs and traded for Memphis Grizzlies third-string center Jay Huff. Isaiah Jackson, Tony Bradley and Jay Huff are not the center rotation for a contending team.
That's because the Pacers don't see themselves as a contending team -- or even a winning one without Tyrese Haliburton.
The Pacers think quite highly of Tyrese Haliburton
The Boston Celtics just punted on this next season after Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in the same playoffs, but they were also punitively expensive and well above the second luxury tax apron. For them, taking a year off to reset the clock on those restrictions made a lot of competitive sense.
For the Pacers, they had no such financial problems, because this is a franchise that refuses to even pay the luxury tax, let alone get close to a tax apron. Giving up on this season -- even if they would never say that directly or publicly -- was not based on saving money: it was based in knowing just how good Tyrese Haliburton is, and how absolutely vital he is to the team's success.
Andrew Nembhard is not striking fear into opposing defenses as Haliburton does. TJ McConnell is not elevating every player around him as Haliburton does. Aaron Nesmith has thrived in Indiana because of how Haliburton puts him in places to succeed. Pascal Siakam can shine because defenses are bent toward stopping whatever magic Haliburton is going to cook up.
Any team will be worse without their best player, but Haliburton is the straw that stirs the drink in Indiana. Their system is based on his speed and passing, and their defense is at its best because Rick Carlisle can play plus defenders and trust Haliburton to make the offense work.
The Pacers gave up hope on this season at the moment Haliburton's tendon gave up in Game 7. He is that important to this team -- and they know it.