Tyrese Haliburton is officially back on a court roughly 16 months after tearing his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Finals. His return also means a return to relevancy for the Indiana Pacers, the best team in the East not that long ago.
Indiana has become the forgotten power in the Eastern Conference, especially with the New York Knicks winning the title, Philadelphia 76ers stacking All-Star forwards and Miami Heat acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo.
If Haliburton looks like his 2024-25 self, however, the Pacers could be the No. 1 seed in a loaded East. The 26-year-old, two-time All-Star is that important.
Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 2024-25, leading the Pacers to the Finals. The roster he returns to now is even better than that version, with Ivica Zubac taking over for Myles Turner at center. This is arguably the deepest team in the NBA as well, with players like Kelly Oubre Jr., Larry Nance Jr. and Braden Smith added this summer to an already loaded core.
Of course, Haliburton is the straw that stirs the drink. Indiana’s offense jumped by 8.0 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor two years ago (95th percentile, via Cleaning the Glass), as the 2023-24 assist champion is one of the best playmakers in the entire NBA.
After coming just one game short of winning an NBA title, Haliburton will be hungry and motivated to return from injury and prove that both he and the Pacers are ready to be championship-worthy once again.