Even almost two months post the NBA finals, a part of the Indiana Pacers fan base still wakes up to the NBA finals nightmare. But with the next season away exactly around two months, and Tyrese Haliburton’s presence still unsure, the Pacers are in a dilemma about how to pick up the season from where they left off. And amid all the calculations, OKC Thunder veteran Alex Caruso has come up with a suggestion, and it is the Pacers’ Number 0, but not limited to Indiana.

Yes, it is soccer. The ties between soccer and the NBA have never been so deep, except for a few players like Caruso, who’s a well-known English Premier League and Manchester City fan. So when he appeared in the first episode of the newly launched podcast Switch the Play by Nance Jr., in collaboration with Men in Blazers Media Network, things took an interesting turn.

The hosts asked him about who he thinks could be the Kevin De Bruyne (soccer superstar who previously played for Caruso’s favorite club, Manchester City) equivalent in the NBA, and boom. Caruso didn’t hesitate in his pick. “It’s got to be somebody who is the best player on their team, but isn’t a score-first player, but can also score when necessary, and honestly, the only thing that I can think of because it’s fresh in my brain was Tyrese Haliburton,” He said.

Wondering what made the two-time champ pick the Indiana Pacers guard? Well, he had an explanation for that, too. “He’s the engine for their team. If you take him off, it just changes the dynamic of the team. He sees stuff for them and manipulates the game and works it, but given the opportunity, he’s also gonna throw in a couple of threes and be able to score.” Caruso added. The veteran guard reminded the Pacers supporters of just how important Tyrese Haliburton is to their team.

He explained that the point guard is the engine of the team, and without him, Indiana cannot play the way they did during their last season’s stunning run to the NBA Finals. Well, that’s no surprise, given we all have witnessed just how much the Pacers depend on the 26-year-old guard. But unfortunately, he won’t be able to support them next season. But the front office has already clocked that and is actively looking for replacements, as they’ve even found a free agency boost in the pursuit of Malik Beasley.

The Pacers receive major boost in the pursuit of free agent Malik Beasley

With Tyrese Haliburton out for most of the upcoming season after suffering a devastating Achilles injury during the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers are actively looking for someone to fill the gap that the All-Star guard has left. While no one player available in the market could directly step into Haliburton’s shoes, Rick Carlisle and Co. are looking to do their best. Amidst this, Malik Beasley has emerged as the best possible option for the Pacers.

This comes after the former Pistons guard entered free agency late in August after a federal investigation extinguished his demand after a breakout season in Detroit. However, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Beasley has now been cleared of any wrongdoing. This means that now the door for the 28-year-old sharpshooter to find a new team could potentially open soon. That’s great news for the Indiana Pacers, who could really benefit from his services.

Beasley was the second-best three-point shooter in the league as he drilled a massive 319 shots from beyond the arc in just 27.8 minutes per game, behind Anthony Edwards, who hit 320 shots. Not just that, he also had a great jumper from inside the arc that led him to average 16.3 points. This makes him a perfect fit for the Pacers, who will need a player to complement Bennedict Mathurin on the court in Tyrese Haliburton’s absence. While this could be interesting for Indiana, there are a few roadblocks. Right now, the Pacers have a full 15-man roster.

However, even if they offload James Wiseman and Tony Bradley entering the season, given that both are on non-guaranteed deals, that won’t cut it for the Pacers. That’s because even though Indiana has a $14.1 million disabled player exception and a 1$13.5 million non-taxpayer exception, they won’t be willing to pay luxury tax this season given that they won’t be getting anywhere close to winning a championship without Haliburton. Nonetheless, this should be something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.