The Indiana Pacers are heading straight into a season that needs to be a bounce-back year. Tyrese Haliburton is healthy again, and they have a very similar roster to the one that made a run to the 2025 NBA Finals just over one year ago. But there’s one big difference: The center position. Instead of Myles Turner, they have Ivica Zubac, and Haliburton has to get used to that.
Instead of having a big man who thrives in pick-and-pop scenarios, Haliburton is going to have to get used to a guy who primarily runs the pick-and-roll. It’s a different look. Not necessarily a bad one, just different. And if Haliburton wants to maximize everything Zubac brings to the table, he’ll need to get used to that change.
Zubac is an elite big man on both ends of the court, but he’s much different from Turner. And that will require a learning process for Haliburton.
Tyrese Haliburton will have to learn PnR with Ivica Zubac after pick-and-pops with Myles Turner
Turner ran the pick-and-roll, too. He wasn’t just a threat to pop out behind the three-point line. But that was a big part of his game. And, in turn, it was a big part of Haliburton’s game.
Having a constant threat from deep range like that was a huge piece of the Pacers’ offense. Now, they don’t really have that at the center position (unless Jay Huff is in the game, and even that is low volume).
Instead, Haliburton will have a new big man to develop chemistry with. A new challenge ahead of him. A new style of offense to master as the Pacers look to get back to the Finals next year.
The pick-and-roll will be his bread and butter, much like it was at times in the past. But now, it’s going to be even more important, and he has a new partner to run it with.
During his time with the LA Clippers, Zubac thrived in the pick-and-roll with James Harden as the lead ball-handler. He had the best seasons of his career while playing alongside Harden.
If used correctly, Zubac can be a lethal roller and a legitimate lob threat, too. Both of those things will be very useful to Haliburton and the Pacers, even if he is a lot different than Turner.
It’s not a downgrade. It’s just a difference. Haliburton hasn’t gotten to play with Zubac yet. At least, not in an NBA game. He’ll have to learn his tendencies and everything like that on the fly.
The days of Haliburton-Turner pick-and-pops are gone. And now, it’s time for Haliburton-Zubac pick-and-rolls.
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