Assessing the outsider views of Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers

Opinions vary greatly for Rick Carlisle's team this season

May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) and guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) and forward Pascal Siakam (43) celebrate during the second half of game five against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a wild NBA off-season, the Eastern Conference is looking absolutely stacked on paper for the upcoming season. There is star power across the league, and fans are already realizing there aren't enough playoff spots to fit all of the teams that have championship aspirations. The days of only a few teams having a chance are long gone. It's anyone's conference now.

The returners: Knicks, Cavs, Celtics, and Pistons.
The star additions: Sixers, Heat, and Raptors.
The up and comers : Hawks, Magic, and Hornets.

Where does that leave the Indiana Pacers? That depends on who you ask. For a team that thrives when getting overlooked, maybe it's right where they want to be.

It's only August and we're still a few months away from Opening Night, but here is an early look at what people are saying about where the Pacers stack up in the East:

The first time First Take has said something sensible pic.twitter.com/E9KpeCf36P

— Pacers Playoffs🏆 (@PlayoffsPacers) July 29, 2026

While "First Take" is high on the Pacers, many other outlets aren't as optimistic.

Yahoo Sports: Predicts the Pacers to finish 8th in the East, adding: "This is a well-built team with depth at all positions, but I'll have to see them produce on the court before I can feel comfortable moving them up the list."

FTN Fantasy: Predicts the Pacers to finish 8th in the East, adding, "Let’s not dwell on what could have been. Haliburton should be a full go by opening night and the pair of additions this off-season coupled with the late season acquisition of Zubac will inject some new life into this rotation. Indiana has a legit nine-man rotation that I could see making another postseason run that extends further than expectation, but a lot of that hinges on Haliburton’s health returning from the season-long injury."

DK Sports: Gives the Pacers the 8th highest odds from the East to win the Championship: 40-1 odds.

NBA.com: Lists the Pacers as the 7th best team in the East for their early power rankings.

Bleacher Report: Predicts the Pacers to finish 11th in the East this season, adding: "Ultimately, Indiana fans have to hope that the return of Tyrese Haliburton and better health from the rest of the rotation will get the team back to the level it hit in its run to the 2025 Finals."

The Denver Post: Predicts the Pacers to finish 4th in the East, adding: "Maybe it’s unfair to Tyrese Haliburton to expect him to instantly relaunch this team to home-court advantage in the first round, when he’s fresh off not only a torn Achilles tendon but also a debilitating case of shingles. But whatever. The Pacers should be legit. Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr. are interesting wrinkles from the 2025 Finals team."

ESPN.com: Lists the Pacers as the 8th best team in the East for their early power rankings, adding: "Indiana's most notable "additions" are the return of Tyrese Haliburton, who sat out the 2025-26 season because of an Achilles tear, and the full arrival of Ivica Zubac, who suffered a season-ending injury soon after he was acquired via trade last season. With them healthy, the Pacers should boast one of the NBA's best starting lineups. Meanwhile, Oubre will help bolster the bench of a team that likes to play a deep rotation."

Mar 18, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac (40) reacts to a basket in the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We've seen this movie before. The Pacers will head into the season underrated by many, and it will allow them to play with a chip on their shoulder. They didn't have a splashy off-season, but this is a team that was in Game 7 of the NBA Finals just 14 months ago. The East has a lot of talented teams, but it's unclear how those new rosters will gel together. The continuity of this Pacers group could be an advantage.

Make no mistake about it, it will be a huge challenge for the Pacers in this new-look conference. This is why it's so important having leaders like Pascal Siakam to help guide the team back to where they want to go. Like the Pacers, there are many teams in the East that could end up anywhere from 1-9 in the standings. Buckle up for a wild ride in the season ahead.