Overview
- Haliburton posted a video on X showing a cutting movement off his injured leg about 48 weeks into rehab, a tangible milestone in his recovery from a torn Achilles.
- He suffered the Achilles tear in the NBA Finals and was ruled out for the 2025–26 season, a loss that coincided with the Pacers missing the playoffs and ranking among the league's weakest offenses.
- The guard also had a shingles episode that paused his workouts and led to medication-related weight gain, which team staff say has slowed his conditioning progress.
- Indiana traded a lottery pick to acquire center Ivica Zubac this season to address the frontcourt, a move whose long-term value depends on Haliburton returning to his prior playmaking and shooting level.
- Medical experts caution that cutting is encouraging but not definitive for game readiness, so the next steps to watch are Haliburton’s fitness tests, on-court scrimmages, and any official clearance for practice and games.