NBA GMs Don't Know What to Expect From Pacers This Season

The Indiana Pacers will be coming into the new NBA season ready to prove themselves as elite title contenders once again.

After coming within one win of claiming the NBA title during the 2024-25 season, Indiana completely fell apart last season. The Pacers were able to win just 19 games, with the team missing the postseason entirely.

Much of this had to do with star guard Tyrese Haliburton missing the season due to an injury, seeing the Pacers limited in what they could do. Haliburton was recovering from a torn Achilles that he suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but he's now ready tog et ack on the floor.

The Pacers star has played in the preseason, looking like his former self as he ramps back up to game shape. With Haliburton back with the team, Indiana should be able to reclaim its spot as a contender in the Eastern Conference.

But in the annual survey of general managers around the NBA, the Pacers were one of the teams that executives couldn't predict. Indiana received seven percent of the vote, tied for fifth in expected level of success this season.

A lot of this likely has to do with Haliburton coming back from injury, and opposing clubs not fully knowing what he will look like. But Haliburton has said that he is fully healthy, and he's looked the part so far.

If Haliburton is indeed healthy and can return to being the star that was on display in the playoffs a few years ago, the sky is the limit for the Pacers in 2026-27. Indiana has put a solid core around the star guard, offering him a good chance to get the team back into title contention.

Since Haliburton has been out for so long, the Pacers may elect to slow-play him back into the lineup, avoiding any further issues. But head coach Rick Carlisle will be tasked with this game plan, and he won't jeopardize the health of his star player for playing time early in the year.

The East should be much stronger this year, with teams beefing up rosters across the summer. But the Pacers have a lot of confidence in their group, and they believe that they can matchup well against any other team.

Haliburton and Indiana will open the new season with a game on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans, coming on October 21. This will mark his official return to the court, with Pacers fans everything tuning in closely to the game.