The Indiana Pacers were just two quarters away from winning their first NBA title in 2025. They had a halftime lead in Game 7 over the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the first quarter, they lost Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles, which cost him all of last season as well.
Next year, Haliburton returns. The Pacers have most of the roster that made the Finals back. One notable exception is Ivica Zubac, who is an upgrade at the center position. Despite Zubac being on the roster and Haliburton returning, they aren’t seen as a title contender by ESPN.
Pacers Not Given Title Contender Status by ESPN
In ESPN’s offseason preview, the Pacers sit 15th in their Basketball Power Index. That means they have them smack dab in the middle of the league. Yet, when Haliburton was healthy, Indiana was one of the best offenses in the league, especially in the playoffs.
Haliburton is one of the best passers in the NBA, and ball movement is what hurt Indiana last season. They were just 11th in assist ratio last season without him, compared to second when Haliburton was healthy. He moves the ball in a way that others around the NBA do not.
His ability to pass the ball ahead to get the offense started is not something that other players possess. Pairing that with his outside shooting ability makes the Pacers a much tougher team to stop. They believe that they will be able to contend for a title with him back.
Adding Zubac gives them a stouter defender at the center position. He won’t be bullied on the block as Turner did, and he can actually get a bucket in the paint. While he doesn’t stretch the floor, he will be able to run to the rim and catch lobs from Haliburton.
Indiana’s Bench Could be the Key to Another Run at a Championship
With Haliburton back, the starting lineup should be fine. The bench is another question mark. T.J. McConnell took a step back last year, which is a concern. His age and style of play give him maybe two more years of good play at the backup point guard position.
Jarace Walker couldn’t take a stranglehold at the backup wing position, so Indiana brought in Kelly Oubre. Oubre will be a solid wing defender and a reliable scorer off the bench. He fits what the Pacers want to do perfectly, and will be the team’s sixth man.
As a team, Indiana had the third-worst offense last season. Most of that was due to the starting lineup not having enough ball movement or firepower. Haliburton’s return should help the bench be more explosive, as they can mix-and-match lineups more than they did a year ago.
Injuries across the board derailed any chance Indiana had of making a playoff run. Staying healthy might be the most important factor in the team making another surprising postseason run.
Pacers Given Surprising Preseason Ranking Despite Tyrese Haliburton’s Return