After playing with a calf strain in the NBA Finals, Indiana Pacers fans' worst nightmares came true after Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury in Game 7 and will now miss all of next season. To make matters worse, according to team president Kevin Pritchard, doctors said there was "a low probability" of Haliburton suffering a torn Achilles despite his calf injury (YouTube link).
Not only will the Pacers be without their star guard next season, but they also did not complete their magical playoff run and lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Prior to his injury, Haliburton recorded nine points on 3-for-5 shooting in just seven minutes. It is fair to wonder how differently things would have changed had the Wisconsin native not suffered his injury.
With Haliburton out for all of next season, the Pacers are in a tough spot. On one hand, they still have a talented roster and a bright future. Plus, they have constantly exceeded expectations and will have a chance to do so once again. However, on the flip side, their outlook for next season looks grim, especially following Myles Turner's shocking exit in free agency.
There is a lot to like about this Pacers team even without Haliburton, but it will be incredibly tough for them to compete, and knowing that his injury was reportedly improbable of happening in the first place makes it that much worse.
The Pacers have limited options at point guard
To say being without Haliburton for a whole year is a brutal loss for Indiana would be an understatement. He is their most important player and the engine of their offense. Without him, the Pacers do not make it to back-to-back conference finals with an NBA Finals appearance. Hopefully for him and the team, he can make a full recovery and come back better than ever. However, until then, the Pacers have some problems to fix.
With Haliburton on the shelf for next season, it is safe to assume the Pacers will move Andrew Nembhard to point guard full-time. Though he is no Haliburton, this is still an exciting opportunity as Nembahrd has not been able to run the point since joining the team. The Canadian native has already established himself as one of Indiana's most important players, but he will have a chance to turn it up another level with a bigger role.
Beyond Nembhard, the Pacers will likely continue to rely on T.J. McConnell as their primary backup. However, the depth is slim after these two, and this will be something to keep an eye on throughout the season.
As it stands, rookie Kam Jones and Quenton Jackson, who recently signed another two-way contract with Indiana, are candidates to have a relatively big role in Haliburton's absence. However, it remains to be seen whether either of them can be trusted for the long haul. Even so, they both have the potential to contribute next season.
Next year will likely be a gap year for Indiana, which is unfortunate given how close they were to an NBA Championship not even a month ago. Still, they have a unique opportunity ahead of them, and it could be a good thing for them in the long run. However, no matter what happens, the Pacers will certainly miss Haliburton next year, especially after going on one of the most magical individual playoff runs the league has seen in recent history.