Pacers win or lose, but if one thing everyone will come together on is that no one wanted to witness—Tyrese in tears. It’s almost disheartening to see Tyrese Haliburton sustain a torn right Achilles tendon in that disappointing Game 7 for the Pacers. It even went to the point of Thunder fans sending their wishes to the Pacers out of sheer respect. So it’s hard to hate who was once the most overrated player in the league in the public eye. But now, we know how long Hali’s due to be out for. And let’s just say that it might have an insane impact on the league as a whole.
ESPN’s Shams Charania already reported Hali’s MRI showing that torn tendon earlier today. “I’m told that Tyrese Halliburton will be undergoing surgery to repair that right Achilles tendon tear very soon.” But knowing his return date is gonna cause some chaos in Indiana, as Shams elaborated further.
“The surgery is imminent, and that injury timeline will likely put him out for the entire 2025-26 NBA season. And remember, this is a player that gutted out a calf strain and ankle issues all during the NBA finals on that same right leg in that Achilles area,” said Shams. Now, watching their hometown hero in a wheelchair called for fans to volunteer their tendon in exchange. But his being out for the rest of the season makes for an insane off-season.
The East was wide open from the very beginning. With Giannis Antetokounmpo’s uncertainty and Jayson Tatum’s year-ending injury, the rest of the core were just hiding in wait for an opportunity to seize the moment. And Hali’s injury proves to be just that. Now, even the Pacers are in a “gap year” mode like the Celtics.
Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after suffering an injury during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
But the East is too big a group to break down. The Indiana Pacers in themselves are a fantastic case study of the impact of one man’s injury. No matter how much you love this Pacers team, Tyrese Haliburton‘s burden of responsibility is too obvious to ignore. And if Shams’ message holds true, the result of that injury could cause a whole rigmarole of changes in the Indiana locker room, too.
Tyrese Haliburton’s injury could have a cataclysmic impact
Okay, maybe that was a bit too dramatic. But this is what happens when your ace is out for so long that your future is reliant on it. The Pacers were supposed to dip into the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years. After years of capped-out frugality, Indiana was signaling a “win-now” mindset, prioritizing roster continuity over cost-containment. And why wouldn’t they? They genuinely had the luxury to (pun intended). But then Hali got injured. And all those plans are in a temporary ceasefire.
The first on that list was Myles Turner. Yes, it’s as poetic as it sounds. This is exactly how you tell your longest-tenured player that you value them. “The Pacers know they cannot afford to lose him as a free agent,” said Charania on their off-season plans. “There’s mutual interest in getting a deal done. But in doing so, I’ve been told the Pacers have determined that they will be entering the luxury tax next season for the first time in 20 years… They want to keep this core intact, and to give this team a chance to make a real run, not only this season, but the next few seasons coming.”
Dipping in now, in de facto “gap year”, would be as suicidal as it sounds. And this has caused them to rethink their word they gave to him a while back. But he’s not the only one with speculation in the air. Even Obi Toppin‘s high on that list, and his menace off the bench might give cause for circling teams to close in.
Are these signs of being too dependent on a single player? Maybe. But it’s heartbreaking even considering a team like the Pacers as a one-man show. Everyone was on board with the Cinderella story, waiting to take center stage. And Tyrese Haliburton’s injury just might cause an end to this story too prematurely. But that’s just life.
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