Tyrese Haliburton Reveals Pacers Held LA Mini-Camp Coming Before Training Camp

The Indiana Pacers were together in Los Angeles last week, and a team mini-camp follows next month. Tyrese Haliburton disclosed both at Victory Field on Monday night, in an availability before the Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic reported by Alex Golden of Indiana Pacers On SI. Neither gathering had been announced by the team.

Haliburton said he and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones have talked a good amount through their Achilles rehabs, and that the same surgeon handled both procedures.

"I'm chomping at the bit. I can't wait," Haliburton said. "I'm really excited. Everybody always feels like the summer is really long, I can't wait to get back, well, I've had that for double, triple the amount of time as everybody else. I can't wait to get back on the floor."

"We were just together as a team in LA last week," Haliburton continued. "We'll be together again for a team mini-camp next month, so we spend a lot of time together. We have a lot of guys who stay here in the summer so we spend as much time together in the summer as we can."

Training camp opens Sept. 29, which puts the mini-camp in the four weeks before it.

Four rotation players have never shared an NBA floor with Haliburton. Ivica Zubac arrived from the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 5, seven months after the tendon went, in the trade that sent out Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and a second-round pick. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. signed in July. Braden Smith signed his two-way contract on Aug. 17.

Oubre took two years and $16.5 million through the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Nance took a one-year minimum deal worth $3.9 million, and Micah Potter was waived to complete it. The 15th roster spot is still open. Smith, Jalen Slawson, and Kobe Brown hold the two-way slots.

Offseason gatherings like this one have become common around the league. The Los Angeles Lakers held a players' mini-camp in Las Vegas during Summer League, and Luka Dončić hosted the roster for four days in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in August, which Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported.

Haliburton has not played since June 22, 2025. The tendon tore seven minutes into Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and surgery came the next day. Jones tore his on Dec. 7, 2025, against the Jacksonville Jaguars and is scheduled to start the Colts' opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13.

Indiana went 19-63 without Haliburton. No team in franchise history had lost more. He last played a full season in 2024-25, when he got into 73 games and averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists. He shot 47.3% from the field and 38.8% from 3-point range. He was a third-team All-NBA selection. The extension he signed in July 2023 runs five years and $244 million.

Rick Carlisle returns for the sixth season of his second stint as Pacers coach, and Kevin Pritchard remains president of basketball operations. Carlisle projects to start Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Zubac.

Monday's game was the first Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic. Haliburton and Jones captained the two rosters. Nesmith, Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, Obi Toppin, Jay Huff, and Smith played, and proceeds went to Drive & Dish, the food-insecurity program Carlisle started.

Indiana opens the regular season Oct. 21 against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Dallas Mavericks visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse two nights later.