Kendrick Perkins Leaves Pacers Out Of East Top 10, Ranks Wizards Sixth

Kendrick Perkins did not list the Indiana Pacers in his top 10 teams for the Eastern Conference. Instead, he ranked ten teams that will advance to the play-in. During a Road Trippin' Show episode focused on early predictions for the 2026-27 season, Perkins, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, and Allie Clifton ranked all 30 teams, with intentions to reevaluate after 25 games.

Washington ranked sixth. The Wizards won 17 games last season, the fewest in the NBA, and missed the playoffs on March 12, ending a five-year absence. Trae Young joined from Atlanta in January, replacing CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Anthony Davis was acquired from Dallas at the February deadline as part of a three-team trade. Young played five games with the Wizards, but Davis did not appear in any games. The Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa first overall in June and signed Young to a four-year, $212 million contract. Davis is owed $58.5 million this season.

ESPN's summer forecast panel put Indiana ninth in the East at 44-38 this week. Washington came in 12th at 31-51.

Indiana went 19-63 and finished 14th in the conference. The 63 losses were a franchise record. Only Washington finished worse.

Perkins predicted in October 2024, when Indiana reached the NBA Finals. Kevin Garnett told Perkins to watch new stars after signing, which he did with Tyrese Haliburton, questioning his offseason effort.

"First of all, listen, I strongly believe that the Pacers are going to fall off like No Limit," Perkins said in a clip ESPN posted on Oct. 30, 2024. "They're not going to make the playoffs this season. I'm not high on them."

The Pacers finished 50-32, fourth in the East, beating Milwaukee and Cleveland in five games each, New York in six, then losing Game 7 of the Finals to Oklahoma City.

Perkins was on the air again eight months later, arguing that Haliburton should not play the rest of the Finals after the calf strain he suffered in Game 5.

Haliburton relives the injury every day.

"When I strained my calf, I knew it was a possibility. We knew that internally," Haliburton said on the "Numbers On The Board" podcast. "Kendrick Perkins was going on TV talking about don't play. Get the f--- out of here. What is he talking about don't play. I knew it was a possibility."

After Game 5, Haliburton said he would play if he could walk.

"I have to understand the risks, ask the right questions," Haliburton said before Game 6. "But I'm a competitor. I want to play. I'm going to do everything in my power to play."

Indiana won Game 6, 108-91. The score was tied 16-16 in the first quarter of Game 7 when Haliburton's right Achilles tore on a non-contact drive. He had 9 points, all on 3-pointers. Oklahoma City won 103-91.

Surgery came the following day. Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard ruled Haliburton out for 2025-26 on July 7, 2025, and he missed the season. He was up to full-court 4-on-4 by late January. Facial shingles, diagnosed Feb. 22, cost him time over the winter.

Haliburton said on Aug. 12 that he was ready to play if the season started then.

Over 73 games in 2024-25, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists. He shot 47.3% from the field, 38.8% from 3-point range, and 85.1% at the line, and made the All-NBA Third Team. He is entering the fourth season of the five-year, $244 million extension he signed in July 2023 and will make $48,924,624.

Pascal Siakam averaged 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists last season, making his fourth All-Star team. Indiana traded Bennedict Mathurin and two first-round picks to the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac in February. One pick was Indiana's 2026 first-rounder, protected on picks 1-4 and 10-30, which ended up fifth in the lottery and went west.

Zubac played five games before a season-ending injury. With the Clippers last season he averaged 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds. Indiana signed Kelly Oubre Jr. this offseason. Andrew Nembhard started at point guard for most of last season, with T.J. McConnell behind him.

Zubac becomes extension-eligible Sept. 3. Pacers camp opens Sept. 29. Indiana opens Oct. 21 at New Orleans and hosts Dallas on Oct. 23. The Pacers face the champion Knicks on Nov. 13 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in NBA Cup.