As the Indiana Pacers tip off their 2025-2026 NBA campaign, the air in Indianapolis is thick with anticipation, uncertainty, and a bit of grit. With superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for the season following a devastating Achilles injury in last year’s heart-wrenching NBA Finals, the Pacers are left to write a new chapter—one that hinges on the growth of rising talents like Andrew Nembhard and Jarace Walker, and the relentless trust of head coach Rick Carlisle.
Last season was nothing short of a rollercoaster for Pacers fans. Tyrese Haliburton, the team’s All-Star floor general, orchestrated Indiana’s first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years. His leadership and clutch performances—four game-winning shots in the playoffs, including a pivotal one in the Finals—drew comparisons to Pacers legend Reggie Miller. Head coach Rick Carlisle recounted on The Zach Lowe Show how he handed Haliburton the reins after his 2022 trade from Sacramento: “This is your team. You have the opportunity of a lifetime here. I’m turning the keys over to you.” That decision paid off in spades, as Haliburton averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists, guiding the squad to a 50-32 record and a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference.
But fate can be cruel. In the decisive Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Haliburton ruptured his right Achilles tendon, leaving the Pacers to battle on without their centerpiece. They fell just short, but the message was clear: Indiana had arrived as a contender. Now, with Haliburton rehabbing and expected to miss the entire season, the Pacers must adapt quickly if they want to remain competitive in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
Enter Andrew Nembhard. The Canadian guard, previously a reliable backup, is now thrust into the spotlight as Indiana’s full-time point guard. With Myles Turner also departing for the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason, the pressure on Nembhard to deliver is immense. Pacers beat writer Alex Golden summed it up on the Kevin O’Connor Show: “You want to see growth from a guy like Andrew Nembhard. You want to see if he can actually run a team for 82 games in the regular season as that No. 1 guy. Last year, we saw so many teams face guarding Tyrese Haliburton at half-court… that put a lot of pressure on Nembhard to kind of be that guy, and he actually did it pretty well.”
This season, Nembhard’s role expands dramatically. Not only will he be the team’s primary ball-handler and playmaker, but he’ll also be tasked with guarding the opposition’s best perimeter threat each night. That’s a lot to heap on the Gonzaga alum’s plate, but Carlisle and the Pacers’ brass have made it clear they believe in his potential. “If the Pacers want to make the playoffs next season, it is crucial that Nembhard steps up and makes that jump,” Golden insisted. His development isn’t just about short-term survival; it’s about building a new foundation for when Haliburton eventually returns. If Nembhard can shoulder the load now, it will ease the burden on Haliburton and add a dynamic new layer to Indiana’s attack.
Of course, the Pacers aren’t waving the white flag on the season. Despite losing two key starters, there’s no sign that Indiana plans to tank. The front office and coaching staff are committed to keeping the team in the playoff hunt, relying on the next wave of young talent to step up. And perhaps no player embodies that next-man-up mentality quite like Jarace Walker.
Walker’s journey has been anything but straightforward. The former top-10 pick missed the NBA Finals and the closing stretch of last season after suffering a severe ankle sprain in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks. Watching from the sidelines as his teammates fought for a championship was a bitter pill to swallow. “It’s tough. I mean, you work all summer, 82 games, three series, and then you get there and then it’s taken away,” Walker reflected. “But it grows you, it matures you. I feel like it made me a better person. I learned a lot through that process.”
Now fully recovered and entering his third season, Walker is ready to seize a bigger role. He played in 75 games last year, averaging 15.8 minutes, but this is the first time he enters training camp with a clear spot in the rotation. With Haliburton out and Bennedict Mathurin moving into the starting five, Walker is poised to become a key reserve, especially among the Pacers’ wings. Head coach Rick Carlisle has noticed the change, praising Walker’s conditioning and maturity: “He’s learned, and he’s worked extremely hard. And he’s positioned himself to be a major factor on this team.”
Walker’s goals for the season are straightforward but vital: improve his defense, run the floor, and dominate the glass. These are the traits that Indiana needs to remain competitive, particularly as they search for a new defensive identity without Turner’s presence in the paint. Walker is determined to be more assertive, both offensively and defensively. “I would say just my drives to the basket, the straight-line drives. Just being assertive, not second-guessing anything, just playing my game,” he said. On defense, he’s focused on being physical, fighting through screens, and using his size to disrupt opponents. “I would just say being more physical, fighting through screens, bumping on cuts, bumping on drives, just being more hands-on, more physical,” Walker explained.
Veteran forward Pascal Siakam, who arrived last season and helped anchor Indiana’s playoff run, has been working closely with Walker to refine his skills and boost his confidence. The Pacers hope that, with Walker’s improved assertiveness and Siakam’s mentorship, their bench will provide the spark needed to stay afloat in the playoff race.
Meanwhile, the team’s culture of trust and player development continues to be its backbone. Rick Carlisle’s faith in his young players is unwavering, and the locker room has responded in kind. That trust was the catalyst for Haliburton’s meteoric rise, and now it’s fueling the next generation.
With the 2025-2026 season underway, the Pacers find themselves at a crossroads. Can Nembhard rise to the challenge of leading the offense? Will Walker’s newfound maturity translate into consistent production off the bench? And how will the team’s chemistry evolve as new leaders emerge?
One thing’s for sure: the Pacers aren’t backing down from the challenge. They’re embracing the uncertainty, betting on growth, and keeping their eyes on the postseason. As the season unfolds, all of Indiana will be watching—hoping that this year’s adversity plants the seeds for even greater success when Haliburton finally returns to the court.
