Pacers GM Has ‘Big Belief’ in Young Guard Breaking Out

The Indiana Pacers' championship hopes ended abruptly during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals when star point guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a season-ending injury. Without Haliburton, the Pacers collapsed in the second half, allowing the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the title. Compounding the problem, Haliburton is ruled out for the entire 2025-26 season, and starting center Myles Turner departed in free agency.

Despite these significant losses, the Pacers are looking towards their young players to step up. General Manager Chad Buchanan discussed this "gap year" on a podcast, highlighting second-year shooting guard Johnny Furphy as a potential contributor. Furphy, who played sparingly as a rookie (averaging 2.1 points in 50 games) and in the playoffs, showed progress in the recent Summer League, averaging 11.3 points and 4.0 rebounds across three games. Buchanan praised Furphy's growth in body, confidence, aggressiveness, and fearlessness attacking the rim.

Buchanan identified Furphy's outside shooting as the crucial area for development. He believes that if Furphy can become a "high-30s catch-and-shoot threat," his physical tools (6-foot-8 size, athleticism), cutting ability, transition game, and defensive potential (noted for good footwork and containing ball handlers) could allow him to earn consistent rotation minutes. Buchanan even suggested Furphy could potentially do more than fellow guard Ben Sheppard due to his superior size and athleticism, provided his shooting improves significantly.