Anonymous Executives Have No Faith in Pacers Repeating as East Champs in 2025

The Indiana Pacers achieved a surprising run to the NBA Finals this season, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoffs despite low external expectations.

However, anonymous NBA executives, as reported by ESPN, have no faith in the Pacers repeating as Eastern Conference champions next year. In fact, none of the executives even mentioned Indiana as a contender for the East title.

The primary reason cited is Tyrese Haliburton's devastating Achilles injury suffered in Game 7 of the Finals, which has already ruled him out for the entire 2025-26 season. Executives believe the Pacers cannot replicate Haliburton's unique playmaking and offensive tempo, making their offense more predictable without him.

Myles Turner's departure after ten seasons with the Pacers is another major factor. The team loses their starting center and, crucially, his high volume of three-point shooting (5.5 attempts per game last season), which was a key element of their unpredictable offense. Finding a comparable replacement, especially a "stretch five," is seen as difficult with current roster options like Jay Huff.

Despite these significant losses and the executives' lack of confidence, the Pacers organization, led by Kevin Pritchard, is accustomed to being underestimated and still believes they can compete.