The Indiana Pacers had to play the entire season without Tyrese Haliburton. After tearing his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals a year ago, he was not able to play in a game. He had been progressing steadily until he got hit with a bout of shingles.
Because of the shingles, Haliburton had to stop his on-court work. He also started gaining weight because of the medication that he had to be on for the shingles. That, and the fact that he had to stop doing some on-court work, led some fans to be concerned.
Recently, the president of basketball operations, Kevin Pritchard, gave an update on how Haliburton is doing.
GettyIndiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton celebrates in a game. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Pacers Give Positive Tyrese Haliburton Update
While giving an interview at a charity golf outing, Pritchard was asked how Haliburton is doing. His answer should give Pacers fans some joy.
“He’s doing great. He’s come off about 10 pounds. He’s doing some five-on-five. You know, he’s going to have a monthly ramp-up that takes some time, but we think he’s going to be ready for training camp. The Finals just ended, and you’re looking at four months, and the season starts. We’re confident he’ll be ready.”
There would be some serious concerns if Haliburton isn’t ready for training camp. At that point, it would be around 14-15 months since the injury. There is no reason that he shouldn’t be 100 percent ready to go by the time it rolls around. He should be in peak shape by then.
Haliburton will have to shake off some rust early in the season. He hasn’t been playing with his teammates much in his recovery, so he will need to build that chemistry back. Ivica Zubac is a new teammate at the center spot, so he’ll need to get chemistry with him, too.
GettyIndiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton drives the ball in a game. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Indiana Should be a Contender in the Eastern Conference
With Haliburton back in the lineup, the Pacers should once again be contenders in the Eastern Conference. He is the best player that the team has on the roster. Without him, Indiana had the third-worst offense in the league. Bringing him back should make them a much better team.
The rest of the East has also gotten better. The Knicks won the title. Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Washington will all be better, as well. Detroit and Cleveland are both still really good teams, too. It won’t be easy for the Pacers to make a return trip to the Finals.
Indiana could make a small move in the summer. They still need a backup wing after trading Bennedict Mathurin at the trade deadline. They can either sign someone in free agency to a small deal or make a trade. They have also shown interest in a trade for Trey Murphy III, as well.
The Pacers are in their title window now, and they are trying to maximize it.
Pacers Give Good Tyrese Haliburton Update Amid Recovery From Shingles, Injury