Tyrese Haliburton is out for all of next season due to an Achilles injury. However, in a bit of a fortunate situation for him and the Indiana Pacers, most of last season's NBA Finals roster should remain intact once he makes his return.
In a recent article for ESPN, Bobby Marks mentioned that, while Indiana is not in an ideal position, they should be able to find solace in the fact that nearly all of their top guys will still be under contract for the 2026-27 season.
"The good news is that when Haliburton returns ahead of 2026-27, Indiana has 13 players on the current roster under contract, including Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and TJ McConnell."
This also does not factor in a guy like Bennedict Mathurin, whose long-term status with the Pacers is still up in the air.
Indiana is in a tough spot right now. They lost in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Haliburton is out for the season, and long-time big man Myles Turner shockingly signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. However, despite all of this, their future is still bright, and they should be able to re-establish themselves as title contenders, especially once they get their star guard back.
The Pacers have an interesting season ahead of them
Many are calling it a gap year, and some are not willing to go that far. Regardless, by just about every measure, the Pacers' outlook for next season looks relatively bleak, and going on another deep playoff run will be incredibly difficult. However, there is still a lot to look forward to.
Similar to what Marks wrote, most of last season's team will still be around, and they should be around for the season after. This will give head coach Rick Carlisle great opportunities to experiment a bit with the roster to see what works and what doesn't for when Haliburton returns. Doing this should give the Pacers a whole new dynamic in the future.
Furthermore, there are a few specific players who could be in line for a breakout season in Indiana. This especially includes Andrew Nembhard and Mathurin, who are both slated to be the team's starting guards in the backcourt next season.
Nembhard will have a chance to be the full-time point guard for the Pacers. He is not going to be a Haliburton replacement, but there are reasons to be intrigued regardless. The Canadian native is a natural point guard and has looked fantastic as a secondary ball-handler. While the Pacers' offense will look very different, they should still be able to have success with Nembhard leading the way. Additionally, this could unlock a new element of the team that can be useful once Haliburton returns.
As for Mathurin, he will have his greatest opportunity yet. It remains to be seen whether he will be a Pacer past next season, but he is still a name to keep an eye on. The Arizona alum is very gifted and has a lot of potential. If he can show out next season, he should be able to solidify himself as a long-term contributor in Indiana.
The Pacers are not in a great spot, but it could be much worse. No matter what, this team is talented and should be contenders for a long time, especially if they stick together for the foreseeable future.