The Indiana Pacers should comfortably regain status as top-tier contenders in the Eastern Conference with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton in 2026-27, but that doesn’t mean a few important rotational questions can go unanswered throughout the season.
Most of Indiana’s crew from their magical 2025 NBA Finals run will return for next season, including Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and T.J. McConnell, but Bennedict Mathurin’s absence brings forth a few crucial decisions for both the Pacers’ front office and coaching staff heading into this summer.
The 23-year-old offensive-minded wing certainly left an indelible imprint on Pacers lore, authoring an unforgettable 27-point explosion in Game 3 of the 2025 Finals to propel his squad to a 2-1 series lead and a signature 24-point, 13-rebound outing in Indiana’s eventual Game 7 defeat.
When the Pacers shipped Mathurin to the Los Angeles Clippers prior to the Feb. 5 trade deadline, along with Isaiah Jackson, to acquire star center Ivica Zubac and forward Kobe Brown, the franchise gained a stalwart under the basket defensively, but let go of their offensive safety blanket from their most memorable postseason run ever. With championship expectations creeping back into the picture, another microwave scorer must make a giant leap in the coming months.
Pacers must search in-house to fill Bennedict Mathurin-sized hole
Mathurin contributed a career-high 17.8 points on 43.3% shooting from the field in his final 28 appearances with the Pacers before the trade, but his status as a soon-to-be restricted free agent in the offseason gave the organization plenty of reasons to pull the trigger on the deal.
Of the Pacers’ few possible Mathurin replacements, Jarace Walker looks to be the most promising.
Walker was afforded the chance to take on an increased offensive role this past season. The third-year power forward averaged a career-best 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 25.7 minutes of burn, though it came with a subpar 54.3% true shooting percentage.
Shot-making in the paint, but outside of the restricted area, was a major weakness for the versatile forward. The majority of Walker’s two-point attempts came 3-10 feet from the basket, and he connected on just 36.8% of those tries. Walker has a tendency to prioritize finesse over the use of his strong 6-foot-7, 235-pound frame when driving to the rim, a wrinkle of his game that must be smoothed out over the summer.
However, Walker’s improved pace and decision-making echoed a new sense of comfort within the Pacers’ high-powered offensive scheme. The team’s collective goal of returning to the Finals makes this a monumental offseason for Walker, as he’ll be relied upon to provide a spark off the bench in limited minutes.
One of the highlights of Walker’s 2025-26 came in the form of his 37.4% three-point shooting clip and wonderful 41.5% accuracy from the corners. As an improved catch-and-shoot threat, Haliburton’s return could lead to the Houston alum receiving plenty of open drive-and-kick looks from the superstar floor general and making a noticeable difference come playoff time.
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