It's been a long off-season for the Indiana Pacers and their fans. It's been 16 months since Tyrese Haliburton played in a non-exhibition game. And now, we are officially under a week until the long wait is finally over.
On Thursday, we learned what predictions the NBA GM's have for the Pacers this season. It's only fitting to give some of our own. Here are five predictions for the 2026-2027 version of the Indiana Pacers.
1. Pacers will host Game 1 of the 1st round.
When you look at the predictions across the industry, you'll mostly see the Pacers falling in the 6-8 seed range. I'm still going top-four. It clearly won't be easy, as the Eastern Conference looks very deep and stacked. There's a very real scenario where some really good teams are battling it out in the play-in games. The difference between the four-seed and the eight-seed might only be a handful of games when all is said and done.
The continuity, overall depth, and hunger for the Pacers is what leads me to this prediction. Clearly, health of the team will be a major factor. If they can stay relatively healthy, I think we'll see a Game 1 at the Fieldhouse.
2. Kelly Oubre Jr. will be a better fit than Bennedict Mathurin.
Some may find this obvious. Others may find it crazy. Bennedict Mathurin is still a bit of a polarizing player in the eyes of many. At times over the last few years, he looked to be well on his way of landing a massive contract when he reached free agency. Instead, he ended up with 2 years and 15.4 million with New Orleans. He still has lots of talent and could still flourish in his career. For the Pacers, however, it wasn't always the right fit.
Mathurin did give the Pacers a different dynamic off the bench. He had a huge Game 3 in the NBA Finals and plenty of other big moments. However, you always got the impression the Pacers wanted a little more from that spot when it came to passing and defense. Enter: Kelly Oubre Jr.
Oubre Jr. isn't a high assist total player, but he can move the ball well within the offense. He can guard multiple positions. And at least for last year, he shot 36% from three and will give the Pacers offense another threat from deep.
3. The Pacers will set an all-time assists per game record.
You can file this one under the "pretty bold" area, but maybe not all that far-fetched. In the 2023-2024 season, the Pacers averaged 30.8 assists per game, good enough for fourth on the all-time list. Tyrese Haliburton is back. Jarace Walker continues to impress with his passing ability. And after seeing Ivica Zubac record five assists in 18 minutes the other night, you can start to dream about the crazy assist totals this team could put together. The ball will be popping once again this year. Will it be enough to break records?
4. Tyrese Haliburton will be back in the All-Star Game.
Haliburton made the All-Star team in 2023 and 2024. He didn't make the cut in 2025 after a slower start to that season. The Pacers star appears to be healthy and hungry for the season ahead, and even in a star-studded Eastern Conference, I think we'll see Haliburton representing Indiana in the All-Star game for the third time.
5. Jarace Walker plays himself into a Pacers extension.
Walker is set to become a restricted free agent next summer, meaning the Pacers will have the ability to match any offer he gets elsewhere if they so choose. Of course, that also leaves open the possibility of another team overpaying for his services. Walker has flashed plenty of talent over his first three years, but it has come with a lot of inconsistency.
Down the stretch last year, Walker showed more of that consistency and that has carried over to the first few preseason games this year. With Walker's ability to play and defend multiple positions, he becomes a big piece for a team with big dreams. It's far from a guarantee that Walker remains a Pacer beyond this season, but I kind of doubt the front office wants to get rid of both of their recent lottery picks.
Predictions are fun to make, and fun to read, but it's even more fun to throw the ball up and throw the predictions out the window. The time for talk is coming to a close. It's time to see what this team can do on the court. Stay tuned.
Add us as a preferred source on Google