The return of Tyrese Haliburton is coming this season after he missed all of last season for the Indiana Pacers while recovering from a torn Achilles. Haliburton suffered a heartbreaking injury in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Indiana’s chances of winning the title ended after Haliburton had a stellar playoff run. However, the point guard feels disrespected about the NBA’s schedule release.
Haliburton shared on the Numbers on the Board podcast that he thinks the league gave him the least special return of any injured stars:
“Name any other person that you compare to my level of a basketball player, wherever you have me ranked. If they tore their Achilles and missed 16 months, do you think that game would be on national television?
Do you think that game would be at home, if not on national television? Do you think that that game would be at New Orleans? When I saw the schedule, I was like, ‘oh, wow,’ not to…. Shout out Trey Murphy III, love my boy, Trey. Love New Orleans. I was shocked to see that, but we moved on.”
The Indiana star felt disrespected that his first big regular season back from such a long recovery will come against the New Orleans Pelicans as a road game. NBA officials often plan a big game for the top 20 players if one of them missed the previous season. Haliburton took this as a sign of how the league views him and the small market Pacers.
Does Tyrese Haliburton Have A Point?
The belief that the league doesn’t respect his team is not that farfetched for Haliburton. Indiana is one of the smallest market teams in the NBA to see them not getting the same coverage as other top teams.
Fewer national games are expected for the Pacers than the other top Eastern Conference teams. The Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics are all expected to have many nationally televised games with the league already scheduling them for big opening night games.
Haliburton is right that previous names coming off injuries often received a special game either on national television or at home. Names like Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, and Stephen Curry have seen the league doing more to hype up their returns from injuries.
Damian Lillard Received Better Season Opener
The argument from Haliburton is that anyone on his level or better would likely get treated with more respect from the league. Damian Lillard’s expected return in the Portland Trail Blazers season opener is not a nationally televised one.
However, the league ensured that Lillard’s first game back would come at home for the Portland fans to welcome him back against the Phoenix Suns. Haliburton will have to wait to get past the lackluster season opener in New Orleans to get the home fans love.
The Pacers will host the second game of the season against the Dallas Mavericks for Indiana to celebrate Haliburton’s return. A first national game for the Pacers on the schedule will come later in October against LeBron James and the 76ers.
Tyrese Haliburton Says NBA Disrespected Him With Opening Night Opponent