Indiana Pacers: How do they move forward for next season and beyond?

What was supposed to be a night of celebration turned into one of chaos. With one dribble of the basketball, this franchise’s future was irreversibly altered.

What was supposed to be a night of celebration turned into one of chaos. With one dribble of the basketball, this franchise’s future was irreversibly altered.

A sold-out crowd lined up outside of Gainbridge Fieldhouse to cheer on the Pacers in the last game of their historic playoff run, which included four miraculous comebacks and game winners.

Questions loomed around the status of the Pacers’ 25-year-old star player, Tyrese Haliburton. In game 5, Haliburton suffered a calf strain, which led to a disappointing 4-point (0-6 FG) performance from the All-Star guard. However, Haliburton's bounce-back performance in game 6 (14 pts, 5-12 FG, +25) led fans to believe that he would be ready for the deciding game 7 in Oklahoma City.

And ready he was. Haliburton came out firing on all cylinders, making his first three shots from beyond the arc, silencing the crowd in Oklahoma, and firing up the watch party in Indianapolis. Excitement and hope began to fill the inside of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It was evident that the Pacers came ready to play and win their first NBA championship in franchise history.

With around 5 minutes left in the first quarter, those feelings of excitement and hope were shattered as fast as they came. Haliburton took one dribble towards the basket against the league's MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and fell straight to the ground, clutching his calf and pounding the floor in frustration. Anyone who followed Kevin Durant’s playoff run in 2019 knew exactly what had happened: Haliburton had torn his Achilles.

Not only did this injury lead to the Pacers losing their chance at basketball immortality, but it also damaged the upward trajectory of one of the most exciting teams in basketball. Shortly after their game 7 loss, the Pacers' longest tenured player, Myles Turner, signed a 4-year, 108.9 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, a heated division rival. A decision that left fans and the Pacers front office stunned, as admitted by head coach Rick Carlisle and team president Kevin Pritchard in recent interviews. Given these events, it has left fans and basketball analysts alike to wonder:

Where do the Indiana Pacers go from here?

Option 1: “Tank” for a good draft pick and focus the season on the development of the young players on the roster.

This is the most unlikely of the options I will list, but it could be considered. The Pacers recently acquired their 2026 first-round pick back from the New Orleans Pelicans, which could indicate the front office’s desire to place their focus on the 2026-2027 season. The Pacers are familiar with being a play-in team. I think they have the players to remain a competitive team in the open East, but prepping for 2027 could be beneficial.

However, with the way the league handles the draft lottery odds and the damage that “tanking” can do to a franchise’s executives, coaches, and players' careers, I doubt this is the route the Pacers decide to go.

Option 2: Cash in their chips for another all-star level player in the hopes of making another deep playoff run in 2026

Another unlikely, but possible path forward for the Indiana Pacers. Many have wondered if the Pacers can win a championship with the current roster lacking another all-star caliber player to complement Haliburton and 31-year-old Pascal Siakam.

With recent reports of players like Karl Anthony-Towns and Giannis Antetokounmpo indicating uncertainty about their future on their respective teams, it could be an avenue that the Pacers explore. Although it is unlikely that either of these players will be traded, and even more unlikely that the Pacers would sell their highly coveted assets.

Option 3: “Run it back” and alter the play-style to fit the Haliburton-less roster

Lastly, the most realistic option forward for the Pacers. The Pacers have done an excellent job of scouting and acquiring talent since the move in 2022 for their franchise star. This is a deep roster that still has the talent to compete in the current state of the Eastern Conference.

Adjustments will need to be made, though. Haliburton’s ability to push the ball up the court with a lightning-quick pace is what allowed the Pacers to play their assertive and unique brand of up-tempo basketball. This play style can not be emulated with anyone else on the Pacers roster, or any other player on the planet, consistently. It could be beneficial to explore the possibility of a more slowed-down, half-court focused offense, which could better suit the natural play styles of players like Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Benedict Mathurin.

Rick Carlisle's strength as a coach, and what I believe has led to his success and longevity as an NBA head coach, is his ability to adapt his philosophy to the roster around him. Adaptability, amongst all parties, will be paramount moving forward as the Pacers navigate the 2025-2026 season without their All-NBA guard.

Despite the unfortunate events of the last month, you better bet that this Pacers team will still be competitive in a wide-open Eastern Conference. Rick Carlisle, Kevin Pritchard, and Chad Buchanan have built a great basketball roster around Haliburton. Those three have done more than enough to earn the trust of the fanbase while they decide what to do moving forward.

There will be inevitable growing pains while the Pacers adjust to life without Haliburton, but I believe the Pacers will come out stronger because of it. I look forward to watching this team next year.

Watching how players like Andrew Nembhard, Jarace Walker, and Benedict Mathurin will develop with their increased responsibilities is a plus. Mathurin is in a contract year, and Walker has a chance to show rotational versatility and gain trust from Carlisle. It will look different, but Indiana has many guys who are fighting for something this season.