Bill Simmons Delivers Strong Take on Pacers Ahead of 2026-27 Season

The Indiana Pacers are welcoming back star guard Tyrese Haliburton to the lineup for the 2026-27 season after missing all of last season while recovering from a torn Achilles.

Haliburton went down with the injury in the first quarter of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025, but with him healthy, the Pacers could jump back into contention.

Bill Simmons is a major believer in Indiana, as he stated that he is all in on the Pacers and believes they are really scary. Indiana has a strong roster led by Haliburton, who was elite prior to his injury.

The 26-year-old floor general averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three. He is great at creating open looks for his teammates, leading to an efficient offense that thrives in transition.

His co-star, Pascal Siakam, is also a high-quality player. Siakam played well in the 2025-26 season despite the Pacers not being competitive, as he averaged 24 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 48.4 percent from the floor and 35.8 percent from distance.

Indiana has a ton of depth on the roster and will feature two new key pieces with the free agency signing of Kelly Oubre and the trade deadline acquisition of a star center in Ivica Zubac.

Oubre will be an additional scorer for the Pacers while providing solid defense and athleticism. In the 2025-26 season, he averaged 14.1 points, five rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 36 percent from deep. 

At center, Indiana looks different than they did when they made the run to the NBA Finals. Myles Turner was their starting center during that run, but he left in free agency to the Milwaukee Bucks last offseason. The Pacers acquired Zubac at the trade deadline to replace him, and he will bring value as a defender, rebounder, and screener.

In the 2025-26 season, Zubac averaged 14.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 59.8 percent from the floor.

With the new additions to the roster around the star duo of Haliburton and Siakam, along with a ton of depth, Indiana is poised to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and could make a trip back to the NBA Finals.