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The playoffs are where stars rise and weaknesses get exposed. For every team sent packing, we've analyzed the standout players primed for growth and a major question mark that could impact the team's fantasy value ahead of the 2025-26 season. Now, we arrive at the Eastern Conference champs, the Indiana Pacers ...
The Indiana Pacers' improbable, epic postseason run came to a close on Sunday night, with the Oklahoma City Thunder taking Game 7 and winning the first NBA championship in their franchise’s history.
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The Pacers were unbelievable, a fourth-seed that had countless unforgettable moments, paired with an insatiable resilience that saw them produce one of the most exciting playoffs ever. The Pacers defied expectations, going to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000 and finishing one win shy of hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy.
The season was a success, and while they’re the last loser of the postseason, Indy will also have to endure the next season without its star point guard.
All the best to Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton was cooking seven minutes into the first quarter of Game 7 before the basketball gods intervened, ruining the game, the series and arguably next season for the Pacers. Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles injury, which will likely keep him out for the entire 2025-26 season. It’s a brutal blow for fans and fantasy basketball managers, as we’ve lost three potential first-round talents (Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and now Haliburton) all to Achilles tears just in this postseason.
Haliburton blossomed into a superstar during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, so to see him fall victim to a serious injury with a championship in reach was devastating. The Pacers have no shortage of roster depth, but not having their two-time All-Star in the lineup heading into next season is a massive gut punch.
What’s next for the Pacers
Most of the Pacers’ rotational players are under contract for next season, with Myles Turner being the exception. Turner’s the longest-tenured Pacer and will officially be an unrestricted free agent in July. He will undoubtedly have suitors in the market for what he brings as a shot-blocker and floor-spacer. However, it appears that he and the Pacers could finalize a new deal before rival teams are given the chance. Time will tell, but bringing back Turner to anchor the backline of their defense is key.
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He doesn’t play like a traditional big. However, Turner remains one of the best shot blockers in the game and has become an asset for 3s in fantasy.
Andrew Nembhard’s ADP and fantasy stock will skyrocket ahead of next season. Nembhard averaged 11 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists in eight games without Haliburton this season, and over his career, he’s at 13/3/7 when Haliburton is out of the lineup.
Pascal Siakam slightly underperformed relative to his fourth-round ADP, finishing 59th in 9-cat formats. I’d feel comfortable that he’ll return to a top-50 player with a likely jump in assists and usage without Haliburton.
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The Pacers were the surprise of the Eastern Conference, making consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and, this time, getting to the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter century. The Pacers’ depth and coaching were their differentiators, and they’ll be leaning on that even more as they approach the 2025-26 season without their star player.
The NBA and fantasy landscape will look significantly different without Tatum, Lillard and Haliburton, so we could see even more parity than we did this year.
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