Indiana went 19-63 and was finished in April. A Pacers assistant coach says the facility has been busier this June and July than he has ever seen it.
Asked what comes next in Indianapolis, an Indiana Pacers assistant coach laughed and then answered anonymously in a conversation with Keith Smith of Spotrac at Summer League in Las Vegas.
"Training camp? (laughs). Look, it was a long year. We thought we had enough to stay competitive, even with Tyrese (Haliburton) out," the assistant coach said. "But then you have like 10 other guys go down and it's clear that it's not year. But all of our guys are ready to get back to it. I've never seen this many guys around the facility in June and July before, especially when our season ended in April."
Indiana finished 19-63, ahead of only one team in the league.
Myles Turner had left in the previous offseason for a four-year, $108.9 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. Tyrese Haliburton was ruled out for the full season shortly after surgery on his right Achilles tendon, which he tore seven minutes into Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Andrew Nembhard was ruled out of the second half of the season opener against Oklahoma City with left shoulder soreness. T.J. McConnell was weeks from returning from a left hamstring strain, Kam Jones had a back issue, and Quenton Jackson dealt with right hamstring soreness.
Ben Sheppard missed most of preseason but started the second half of the opener. By Indiana's third game, he was starting at point guard with Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Jay Huff, and Isaiah Jackson.
In November, Nembhard played on Nov. 8, McConnell debuted on the 11th, and Mathurin came back six days afterward. However, it did not last.
By early December, the Pacers listed six players out for a single game. Obi Toppin was gone until February. Nesmith, Jackson, and Jones were all still out, and Sheppard joined them that night after starting every game to that point. A calf injury cost him close to a month later in the season.
Rick Carlisle used 27 players this season. Jay Huff started 47 games, leading with 1.9 blocks per game. Nembhard started 57 games, averaging 16.9 points. Siakam played the most minutes at 33.2 per game.
On February 28, the Pacers signed Quenton Jackson to a standard NBA contract. He averaged 9.2 points in 17.3 minutes over 30 games with a 40.5% three-point shot. Ivica Zubac also joined at the February deadline, playing five games before a season-ending injury.
Haliburton was diagnosed with facial shingles on Feb. 22.
Siakam averaged 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, earning his fourth All-Star selection. Mathurin averaged 17.8 points before being traded to the Clippers for Zubac.
In June, Haliburton posted a workout video marking week 48 of his post-surgery program. He's clearly making progress and is optimistic about being ready for training camp, which opens on Sept. 29.
Indiana went 2-3 in Las Vegas and added Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. in free agency. Oubre signed for nearly $17 million over two years.
