Tyrese Haliburton’s world shifted in an instant. The Indiana Pacers’ franchise guard, who had just helped steer them to the NBA Finals, was suddenly dealing with the harsh reality of a torn Achilles in Game 7. His season was gone in a moment, but the true shock came after the final buzzer. The flood that followed wasn’t just medical updates or team meetings. His life, both on and off the court, was thrown into uncertainty. How the Pacers adapt without their floor general, and which players will step up to fill the void, would soon become a story worth following closely.

Then came the candid revelation from Haliburton himself: “Well, I’m going to be honest, bro. After I got hurt, my phone was like, glitching. I’ve never got so much…like I couldn’t even open texts. I’ve literally had to use my security’s phone to call like my girlfriend and everybody…every search was going to be a video of me popping my Achilles.”

He added that he decided to stay away: “So I’m like, let me stay off social media for a little bit as much as I can. But yeah, I mean, I think there’s bad apples everywhere. So it’s just part of it.” For a player who had built his identity as one of the league’s most vibrant young leaders, both on the floor and in the digital space, this was a foreign feeling. Social media was no longer a bridge to fans. It was a battlefield he couldn’t cross.

The Pacers, meanwhile, are navigating the ripple effects of his absence beyond just X’s and O’s. Leadership on the floor now needs redistribution: team meetings, play-calling responsibilities, and even informal morale-boosting duties are suddenly in flux. The locker room, once oriented around Haliburton’s steady influence, is testing new dynamics, as younger players are pushed into roles they may not yet be ready for.

And from the management perspective, Indiana faces subtle yet consequential decisions. Every offseason move for the Pacers carries added weight. The balance between maintaining team identity and adjusting for an extended loss is delicate, with long-term playoff positioning at stake. Coach Rick Carlisle’s staff must now plan a season that stretches from patchwork solutions to potential breakout performances, all while keeping team chemistry intact.

How the Pacers are rebuilding without Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers’ floor general, delivered a standout 2024–25 season, averaging 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game over 73 appearances. His 47.3% shooting and 38.8% from three were pivotal in the Pacers’ late-season surge to push into the NBA playoffs. However, in Game 7 of the Finals, Haliburton suffered a torn right Achilles tendon, which is going to sideline him for the entire 2025-26 season.

In his absence, the Pacers have turned to Andrew Nembhard, who is moving to a full-time starting point guard. The Pacers have to hope that he can build upon his averages of 11.3 points and 6.6 assists in the 8 games without Haliburton and T.J. McConnell, who continued to provide veteran leadership off the bench with 9.4 points and 4.4 assists per game. Their combined presence has helped stabilize the backcourt, though neither replicates Haliburton’s scoring or playmaking gravity.

On the wings, Bennedict Mathurin has taken on a larger offensive role, with a usage rate of 22.8% and a great 16.1 points per game. The Pacers are testing new rotations and pushing their depth to the limit, but questions linger: can this patchwork approach hold, or will the team be reshaped in unexpected ways before Haliburton’s return?