Overview
- Haliburton told reporters Wednesday that he feels healthy, is playing pickup regularly, and would be ready if the season started today.
- He said he has been medically cleared but stressed that clearance is different from being in full NBA game shape after roughly 16 months away.
- The Pacers posted video this summer of Haliburton completing a between-the-legs dunk, and he has been working with teammate Andrew Nembhard and player-development staff.
- Indiana finished 19-63 without Haliburton in 2025–26 and has scheduled a preseason game on Oct. 7 in Ames, Iowa, as part of his planned path back to game minutes.
- Because Achilles recoveries often leave players short on in-game conditioning, the items to watch are Haliburton’s preseason minutes, his runs with NBA players in Los Angeles, and how quickly he sustains his explosiveness in live games.