The Indiana Pacers are coming off one of their most successful campaigns in recent years. With their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years, the Pacers surprised and dazzled fans across the league. Unfortunately, the upcoming season may not hold the same promise for this Indiana squad.
The 2025 offseason has been a particularly rough one for Indiana. Tyrese Haliburton sustained an Achilles injury in the Finals, and he’s expected to be sidelined for the better portion of the season.
On top of Haliburton’s injury, the Pacers also lost a key rotation player in Myles Turner in the offseason. Turner was expected to enter free agency and re-sign with Indiana. However, in a shocking turn of events, the center decided to sign with the Pacers’ rivals, the Milwaukee Bucks.
These losses have significantly impacted the franchise, making it difficult to maintain continuity heading into next season. But this also presents the Pacers with an opportunity to develop their talented young core with Pascal Siakam as the pillar of support.
With this in mind, we take a closer look at the Indiana Pacers’ projected starting lineup for the 2025-26 season.
Projected Starting Rotation
PG – Andrew Nembhard
SG – Bennedict Mathurin
SF – Aaron Nesmith
PF – Pascal Siakam
C – Jay Huff
Analyzing The Pacers’ Starting Five
In the starting backcourt, Indiana will see a significant drop-off in the point guard position with Haliburton sidelined. But this presents an opportunity for Andrew Nembhard to step into the starting point guard slot.
The 25-year-old showed a lot of promise during the 2024-25 season. As a combo guard, Nembhard put up some impressive numbers, averaging 10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, while shooting 45.8% from the field.
Unlike Haliburton, Nembhard leans more towards scoring than playmaking. This could have an impact on Indiana’s offensive outlook next season, as he embraces a bigger role. But considering his ability to create scoring opportunities in isolation situations, he could make a huge jump next season.
With Nembhard moving into the point guard position, the Pacers are expected to fill the vacancy at the shooting guard spot by promoting Bennedict Mathurin into a starter’s role.
The 23-year-old has displayed the potential to be a dynamic scorer. He has been a versatile offensive threat, showcasing the ability to score at multiple levels and be a key contributor on offense.
Last season, the Pacers guard notched an average of 16.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on shooting splits of 45.8% from the field and 34.0% from three-point range. With more playing time, he could be one of the team’s top scorers next season.
Mathurin has two-way potential, but his defensive game still needs development.
Indiana’s frontcourt may not see as many changes next season. With Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam still available and healthy, the Pacers are unlikely to relegate either player to the bench.
Nesmith remains a solid small forward for the time being. In a limited role, he manages to contribute on both ends of the floor. Last season, he recorded an average of 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game on shooting splits of 50.7% from the field and 43.1% from beyond the arc.
While much of his success as a three-point shooter could be attributed to Haliburton’s playmaking, Nesmith remains a capable and consistent 3-and-D player.
Siakam will be the driving force for the team next season. The ECF MVP has undoubtedly been one of Indiana’s best players. With effective scoring and solid defensive ability, the 31-year-old is likely to be the anchor for this team on both ends of the floor.
Last season, Siakam led the Pacers in scoring with 20.2 points per game. He supplemented this with 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists, along with 0.9 steals per game.
His efficiency while scoring from multiple spots on the floor will be crucial in creating opportunities for the rest of his teammates. As he continues to be the focal point of the offense, there is a greater likelihood that he notches an uptick in scoring figures.
The center position could see a major change next season. Along with Turner’s departure, the Pacers also saw their backup big man, Thomas Bryant, leave in free agency.
Indiana addressed the vacancies in the big-man rotation by signing Jay Huff this offseason, who could be their starting center as well.
Huff is an interesting choice as a starting center. The former Grizzlies reserve is an athletic big man who is also a reliable floor spacer. In the 11.7 minutes per game he played last season, he recorded an average of 6.9 points and 2.0 rebounds.
His rebounding numbers are underwhelming, but the 26-year-old is an efficient scorer, as he recorded shooting splits of 51.5% from the field and 40.5% from three-point range.
In the role of a starter, these stats are likely to normalize. But in a system like the Pacers, Huff could be an effective replacement for Turner, given the circumstances.
Will The Pacers Remain A Playoff Team Next Season?
Despite the lack of top-tier star power, one of Indiana’s greatest assets remains its depth. With capable players in every position, Indiana isn’t dependent upon its stars to contribute as much as some of the other teams might.
With players such as Ben Sheppard, TJ McConnell, and Obi Toppin still in the rotation, the Pacers could remain a competitive team. Unfortunately, it may not be enough to secure a playoff berth.
Teams like the Hawks, the Magic, the Knicks, the Heat, and the Pistons are expected to be significantly better next season. This could create a challenge for the Pacers.
But considering the way this team has performed in the face of unfavorable circumstances, it’s hard to count this team out.
