Haliburton to miss 2025–26 season after Achilles injury in NBA Finals, confirms Pacers
Indiana Pacers
will be without their franchise cornerstone for the entire 2025–26 season. Guard
Tyrese Haliburton
tore his right Achilles tendon during the first quarter of Game 7 of the
NBA Finals
, and team president
Kevin Pritchard
confirmed Monday that the All-Star will not return until the following season.
Haliburton had been playing through a right calf strain before going down in Indiana's 103–91 loss to the
Oklahoma City Thunder
in the title-deciding game.
"I have no doubt he'll be back better than ever," Pritchard said. "But he will not play next year. We're not going to jeopardize his long-term health. Don't get your hopes up."
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The 24-year-old was instrumental in Indiana's first
NBA
Finals appearance since 2000, averaging 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals during the playoff run. His highlight-reel moment came in Game 1, when he drilled a game-winning buzzer-beater to stun the Thunder and set the tone for a thrilling series.
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"He plays best when he's hungry, and I'm guessing next year he'll be champing at the bit to prove he's back," Pritchard said. "We saw clutch shot-making from him that I've never seen before in the NBA."
Haliburton underwent surgery on June 23 and has reportedly started his rehab on a positive note. Still, the road ahead is long.
"He's doing great," Pritchard added. "But the real work starts now. It's going to be tough."
Despite the crushing setback, Pritchard remains optimistic about the Pacers' future, though he acknowledged the absence of their floor general will be felt.
"We were 24 minutes and an injury away," he said. "We'll face some challenges with Ty out, but we still like our group. When he returns, it'll be the cherry on top."
Haliburton, ever the competitor, said he wouldn't change a thing - even knowing the outcome. But Pritchard offered a more emotional perspective.
"Would I have him do it over again? No," Pritchard admitted. "If I knew he'd get hurt, I would've sacrificed that game because I care for him that much."
Adding to the blow, Indiana also lost veteran center
Myles Turner
, who signed a four-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency, further shaking up the Pacers' core.
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