We're nearing the midway point of the season, and the Indiana Pacers are looking bound for a top pick in this coming summer's draft. If they end up being lucky enough to draft AJ Dybantsa, they're going to be able to offer him the type of ideal scenario that no other NBA team can, and the key reason being Tyrese Haliburton.
As Pacers fans are well aware, Haliburton represents a dying breed in today's NBA: a pass-first point guard archetype. This is the ideal type of player to pair with an athletic scoring wing. In the scenario Indiana ends up drafting Dybantsa, Tyrese is going to be able to get AJ an extra eight to 10 points every single night simply by knowing when and where to get him the ball in the spots he's most comfortable in.
Indiana already plays at a tempo that puts defenses under heavy pressure, and Haliburton is the engine behind it. His ability to push the ball in various situations creates early advantages before defenses are set. For a player like Dybantsa who thrives in space, that's only going to accelerate development.
The spacing is another big factor. The Pacers have built a roster that understands how to play around a lead guard who prioritizes movement and timing. Pascal Siakam’s presence forces defenses to respect multiple points of attack, and this team just needs another center who can stretch the floor after losing Myles Turner last summer. But Indiana already has a perfect system in place for a player like Dybantsa to succeed.
AJ Dybantsa would thrive in the Pacers' system
There's also the Pacers' developmental infrastructure to think about. Indiana has shown patience with young players, allowing them to grow within defined roles rather than overwhelming them. Players like Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker have both benefited from that approach, even through uneven stretches. Dybantsa would be entering a situation that values long-term growth.
Haliburton’s leadership plays into this as well. He's now been to an NBA Finals, and he put together one of the most clutch postseason runs in recent memory. Through all that, he now understands even more how to help his teammates succeed when everything's on the line.
From a big-picture perspective, Indiana would offer clarity for Dybantsa. The Pacers know who they are and how they want to play. They're not going to be searching for an identity, even after this weird gap season is over. Adding a talent like Dybantsa would not require a philosophical reset, it would just be an enhancement of what already exists.
That's why this potential pairing stands out. Talent matters in the NBA, but situation matters just as much, if not more. If Indiana lands Dybantsa, they would be placing him in a setting built to maximize his abilities from day one.