Pacers Called Out for Not Signing Star Free Agent Guard

It's no secret that the Indiana Pacers have a bit of a point guard deficit.

After two-time All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton went down with an Achilles tendon tear in Game 7 of Indiana's ill-fated NBA Finals clash with the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder, it became quite clear that the team would not be back for the 2026 Finals without some major roster changes.

The Pacers officially announced earlier this summer that the 6-foot-5 Iowa State superstar would be shelved for all of the 2025-26 season.

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But there was still limited urgency to find a suitable sub for Haliburton in Indiana's offseason moves. Instead, the Pacers let 3-and-D starting center Myles Turner walk in free agency to join the Milwaukee Bucks, a Central Division rival the team has beaten in the first round of the last two playoffs.

The Pacers brought back incumbent reserve bigs Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman, and traded for sharpshooter center Jay Huff. The team clearly intends to replace Turner piecemeal.

Haliburton, meanwhile, will be supplanted in the starting lineup for 2024-25 starting shooting guard Andrew Nembhard, who has a good handle for a supplemental guard but looked lost navigating Game 7 without Haliburton.

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Indiana has been understandably reamed for not at least trying to poach a free agent standout point guard this summer.

Rohan Brahmbhatt of ClutchPoints has called out the Pacers for not tendering an offer to another Central Division foe's best free agent, Chicago Bulls point guard Josh Giddey. The 6-foot-8 pro, 22, is merely a restricted free agent, meaning the Bulls would be able to match an offer extended Giddey's way if they so choose.

"With Tyrese Haliburton out for a major portion of the upcoming season, the Pacers desperately need someone who can run an offense, create for others, and keep their tempo-driven identity intact," Brahmbhatt observes. "Josh Giddey might not be a superstar, but he’s a winning player in the right role. And for a team teetering on the edge of contention, that’s exactly what Indiana needed."