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Tyrese Haliburton’s absence is already shaping the Pacers’ early-season conversations. The All-Star guard, recovering from Achilles surgery, is progressing right on schedule, the team’s GM, Chad Buchanan, confirmed. “Our medical staff would tell you he’s right on pace where he should be…you’ve seen him walking around without the boot,” he said, noting the rehab is tedious but necessary. Mentally and physically, Haliburton is in a good place, ready to return when the time is right. Even without him on the floor, the Pacers aren’t dialing back expectations. Asked about the so-called “gap year,” the GM said the focus remains on daily improvement. “We approach everything…how can we be a little bit better today?” He emphasized that the core identity of the team hasn’t changed, and opportunities exist for other players to step up while Haliburton recovers. Success, he added, will be measured by the team playing its best at the end of the season, not just surviving the early weeks. The Pacers are already setting the stage for a full-throttle 2025/26 campaign. And when Haliburton returns, the actual test begins. Can the team adapt and chase the ceiling everyone expects? Well, come back here to find out! (This is a developing story…)
