The Indiana Pacers have suffered; it's time to flip the script.

"Haliburton falls down, he looks hurt!"

These were the words uttered by Mike Breen, the words that ripped the heart out of all Indiana Pacers fans.

This was the reaction after Tyrese Haliburton fell to the ground in pain, tearing his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

The Pacers' Cinderella run was over.

They were so close. They could've won.

A finals push that rivaled even the 2011 Mavericks ended with one wrong step, and with it, the Pacers' hopes of returning next season with Haliburton.

That's right, Tyrese Haliburton was out for the entire 2025-26 season. It was basically over before it even started.

So what was next for Indy?

The Pacers began to tank. Several times throughout the season, the Pacers found themselves with the worst record in the league. It seemed like they would finally catch a break. A potential top-4 selection in a historic draft class would almost fill the hole in the hearts of Pacers fans.

That didn't happen either.

In a trade deadline stunner, the Pacers traded for Ivica Zubac, giving up Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, but most of all, they put their draft pick at risk. Their pick was now 1-4 protected, meaning if it fell out of the top-4, they wouldn't get it.

Surely they had it right? They went into the lottery with a 52% chance of getting a top-4 selection. After all, they were due some luck, right?

Unfortunately not.

The pick fell to 5, meaning the Clippers got it. The Pacers ended the season with almost nothing to show for it.

So how can they come back next year?

The plus side:

Despite all of the bad luck, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

The Pacers are returning with arguably a better roster than they had in 2025 during their finals run. Adding Zubac gives Indiana a physical post scorer and rim protector, and most importantly, someone who can grab a lot of rebounds, something Indiana has lacked for almost a decade.

There has been plenty of inside development, too.

Andrew Nembhard has grown into an elite role player, showcasing his high-level playmaking and perimeter defense. We have also seen improvement from players like Johnny Furphy and Jarace Walker, who have become potential rotation players next season. Guys like Quenton Jackson have also earned standard contracts, securing a long-term guard core.

So what else can they do?

It's simple, they need to get deeper. Although they have a solid roster full of rotation guys, it never hurts to add more depth. And the Pacers have a good opportunity to do so. With $11 million in apron space, the Pacers have access to a Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which caps at the first apron. So ideally, you want to clear up some cap room to gain full access, which maxes out at $15.1 million.

So how should they do this?

What they should do:

Charlotte Hornets receive: (G) Ben Sheppard

Indiana Pacers receive: 2026 2nd-round pick (via DEN or GSW), 2027 2nd-round pick (via NOP or POR).

Free Agency: Let (F) Kobe Brown walk in free agency.

Sign (F) Kelly Oubre Jr. to a 3-year, $45.3 million contract.

Why this works:

The Pacer's era starts now.

It hurts to ship out Ben Sheppard, who has grown into a fan favorite among Pacers fans, but it is necessary. Trading Ben Sheppard and letting Kobe Brown walk opens up just enough apron space to use the full Mid-Level Exception. Using the MLE, the Pacers sign Kelly Oubre Jr., a veteran wing who provides spacing and defense, overall a positive perimeter presence. Adding Oubre also secures Indiana as one of the deepest teams in the NBA.

Returning next season with a better roster than what could've been a championship last season inspires confidence in this team. While the question of Haliburton's return and whether he will remain at an elite level does remain, recent Achilles tear recoveries such as Jayson Tatum's and Dejounte Murray's put on full display the power of modern medicine.

It's time to take back what was so ruthlessly stolen from the Pacers.

The NBA has a new top team.

Indiana Pacers potential 2026-27 starting lineup + bench:

PG: Tyrese Haliburton SG: Andrew Nembhard SF: Aaron Nesmith PF: Pascal Siakam C: Ivica Zubac

G: T.J. McConnell, Quenton Jackson F: Jarace Walker, Johnny Furphy, Kelly Oubre Jr., Obi Toppin C: Jay Huff