Pacers Star Has High Expectations Without Tyrese Haliburton

Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA: Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

A key Indiana Pacers star has surprisingly lofty expectations for the team's 2025-26 upside without injured All-Star Tyrese Haliburton.

The 2025 All-NBA Third Team point guard tore his Achilles tendon during Game 7 of the NBA Finals, effectively killing Indiana's shot at winning its first-ever league championship. The eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who were trailing as late as the top of the third quarter, took over with Indiana's offense in shambles sans Haliburton.

Reserve Pacers forward Obi Toppin recently revealed just how optimistic he is for Indiana to mount a surprising run without its brightest star and the key fulcrum of an offense that had led to two straight Eastern Conference Finals across the past two seasons.

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Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes that Toppin, while holding court at a kids' summer basketball camp he runs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, shared his bright outlook for the club.

Quick story on what Obi Toppin had to say at his camp today: https://t.co/6K0r5uIpY8

— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) September 13, 2025

"Ty brings so much to the team and it's not hidden, everybody understands what he brings to the game," Toppin said. "So it's just something that everybody on the team has to do while we're out there, just doing a little extra knowing what we're missing and knowing what we need out there on the court and just continue playing Pacers basketball."

"We've built the system here and I feel like everybody has bought into the system," Toppin added. "That's why we've been so successful. If we continue doing that, we're gonna still be great."

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With former starting center Myles Turner now playing for Central Division rival the Milwaukee Bucks (another massive loss for the team this summer), Toppin could be in line for more spot minutes this year at the five, where he proved to be an effective occasional small-ball option for head coach Rick Carlisle last season.

Indiana, for now, intends to use training camp to determine its Turner successor. Re-signed big man Isaiah Jackson seems to have the inside track, although new trade acquisition Jay Huff could stake his own claim. James Wiseman or Tony Bradley are the Pacers' other two rostered centers.

The 27-year-old Toppin is set to embark on the second year of the four-season, $58 million free agent deal he agreed to just last season. In 79 games for the 50-32 Pacers last year (four starts), Toppin averaged a career-most 10.5 points on .529/.365/.781 shooting splits, 4.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.6 steals a night.

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