Overview
- Haliburton told reporters at his Carmel pro camp on Saturday, June 27, that he feels “great” and is “operating like I’m a healthy NBA player” after completing rehab and returning to full 5-on-5 activity.
- He tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, an injury that cost him the entire 2025–26 season and began a long, stepwise rehabilitation process.
- During rehab he suffered a severe case of shingles in early 2026 that caused facial swelling and interrupted parts of his recovery before resolving.
- The Pacers fell to 19–63 without him last season and forfeited their 2026 first-round pick in a prior trade, prompting roster changes such as acquiring center Ivica Zubac and positioning the team around Haliburton’s expected return.
- Team leaders say they are optimistic but will manage his minutes and workload carefully as he ramps up, a process that could materially affect Indiana’s competitiveness and the health of its locker-room leadership next season.