Tyrese Haliburton won’t suit up in 2025-26, Pacers president Kevin Pritchard confirmed in a recent press conference. “He will not play next year. We would not jeopardize that,” Pritchard said, referencing Haliburton’s Achilles tear sustained during the NBA Finals. While he assured fans that “He’ll be back better than ever,” Indiana isn’t wasting time waiting. In the wake of Myles Turner’s departure to Milwaukee, the Pacers quickly addressed their frontcourt needs.

They picked up Tony Bradley’s $2.94 million option following his steady playoff showing, traded for 7-footer Jay Huff—who shot an impressive 40.5% from beyond the arc with Memphis—and re-signed former No. 2 pick James Wiseman, who’s also coming off an Achilles injury. With the center rotation in flux, Isaiah Jackson now steps into a pivotal role, anchoring a team looking to stay competitive despite Haliburton’s absence.

Isaiah Jackson is staying home—and the Pacers are betting big on his future. After tearing his Achilles just five games into last season, the 23-year-old center is officially re-signing with Indiana on a three-year, $21 million deal, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. The moment the news dropped, Tyrese Haliburton reacted on his Instagram story with one word: “Yescerski!!” It’s a full-circle moment for the former Kentucky big man, who came to Indiana via a five-team trade in 2021 after being drafted by the Lakers.

Despite missing almost the entire 2024–25 season, the Pacers clearly still believe in his potential—they extended a $6.4 million qualifying offer last month and wasted no time locking him in. Over his first four seasons, Jackson carved out a role as an energetic rim-runner off the bench, averaging 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 15 minutes per game across 163 appearances. His last healthy season in 2023–24 saw him average 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in just under 17 minutes per game. Now, with a $21 million commitment and his recovery progressing well, the Pacers are giving him every chance to take the next step.

And the opportunity couldn’t come at a better time. Losing Myles Turner? Yeah, that one stung. Pacers president Kevin Pritchard admitted it caught them off guard—“a surprise,” he said, when Turner bolted for Milwaukee. The Bucks made room by waiving Damian Lillard, and just like that, Turner was gone after 10 seasons in Indy. So why leave now? Maybe it’s about chasing a title. Maybe it’s about new energy. Whatever it is, Turner saw something in Milwaukee the Pacers just couldn’t offer right now.

Why didn’t Myles Turner see a future in Indy?

“Saying goodbye is never easy, especially so abruptly.” That’s how Myles Turner signed off from Indiana—and honestly, it hit hard for the Hoosiers. Turner wasn’t just a core piece; he was their anchor for a decade. Even Pacers coach Rick Carlisle called it what it was: “Losing Myles Turner is a significant loss for our team. I mean, the guy’s been a terrific player.” After 10 years, everyone assumed Turner would run it back for season 11. But instead, he packed his bags for Milwaukee. And once you hear what he said next, you start to understand why.

“For me, ultimately it was about just staying competitive,” Turner explained after landing with the Bucks. “Two years ago, we got to the conference finals. Obviously, last year we got to the Finals. Being a big part of winning basketball just changed my entire perspective on this league.” He didn’t stop there. “I saw a chance to remain competitive here, and Jon, even Doc, has assured me that winning is a top priority here. We just aligned with our visions.” You don’t have to read between the lines too much—Turner had doubts the Pacers could stay in the fight without Tyrese Haliburton, who is out for the entire upcoming season recovering from Achilles surgery. And if Indy’s best shot at contending was sidelined, Turner wasn’t going to wait around.

On top of that, there were whispers that the Pacers weren’t willing to go all-in financially to keep him. But President Kevin Pritchard shut that down fast: “Herb Simon and Stephen Rails and the Simon family were fully prepared to go deep into the tax to keep him. And we really wanted to do that.” Still, it wasn’t enough. Turner got a four-year, $108.9 million deal from Milwaukee, and Indiana reportedly offered fewer years and less money. The final sting? Pritchard didn’t even hear it from Turner—he found out through a tweet. “Unfortunately. I saw Shams tweet it, and that’s how I knew that Myles was taken away.” In the end, Turner made his decision. The message was clear—without Haliburton, he didn’t believe the Pacers could keep up, and Milwaukee gave him the winning shot he was looking for.