Three Things to Watch in Indy
The playoffs are gone, but the Pacers still have a lot to prove in 2026
February 26, 2026 | 
By Scott Agness | Fieldhouse FilesIndianapolis, IN - Sitting at 15-45, the Pacers are not a team anyone is paying attention to in the second half of the NBA season. With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined and the playoffs out of reach, the Pacers’ final six weeks are less about wins and losses and more about the future. What young players in the organization will be used to build, who should they scout in the draft, and what pending free agents might they target?
The Pacers came into this season knowing the playoffs would be a long shot. After coming so close to winning it all in 2024-2025, the future of the organization took a sudden halt when Haliburton went down. Instead of hitting the panic button, the Pacers are playing the patient game, giving young talent more time to develop and other stars a chance to step up, preparing themselves for the return of "0" next season.
While the playoffs are out of reach, here are three storylines the Pacers can focus on for the rest of the season.
Pascal Siakam's continued rise
Siakam is averaging 23.9 points per game; at this pace, he would be the fifth-highest scoring season for a Pacer in the past 50 years. Billy Knight, Danny Granger (twice), and Reggie Miller are the only ones above that pace.
Siakam's continued growth since leaving Toronto might go unnoticed on a losing team this season, but pairing him with the return of Haliburton next season will be a deadly 1-2 combination for the NBA.
Blending the Towers
The Pacers made a major splash at the trade deadline, acquiring 7-foot center Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. The 28-year-old Croatian big man gives the Pacers a new starting center who can anchor the paint for the Blue & Gold for years to come.
Zubac will be joining another 7-footer, Jay Huff, who has made a strong defensive impression this season. Huff has been near the top in blocks in the NBA this season averging 1.9 per game.
It is not common for teams to start two 7-footers together that are post players and not able to stretch the offense, but pairing these two in defense while relying on the other three of Haliburton, Siakam, and Nembhard to score might be an offense the Pacers try in 2026.
Opportunities for Development
Being out of the playoff race offers the Pacers one advantage over other teams: more time to develop future players. That's especially important given the Pacers' aspirations of another deep postseason run in 2026-27, when Tyrese Haliburton returns from an Achilles injury to join Siakam, Zubac, and the rest of Indiana's core.
Aside from the three rookies, seven players have already set a new career high in scoring this season — Nembhard, Nesmith, Huff, Walker, Jackson, Furphy, and Potter. Both Kobe Brown (13 points) and Ben Sheppard (20 points) have realistic chances at joining that group by season's end.
Walker and Sheppard are dependable members of the rotation, but can make a case for a larger role next season. Brown, a young forward acquired in the Zubac deal, didn't get many minutes in Los Angeles, but will get an extended run to show what he can do in Indiana. And rookies Kam Jones, Ethan Thompson, and Peter are still getting their first tastes of NBA competition.
All of those players should see plenty of minutes over the rest of the season. Some of them will likely play a role in next year's playoff push, and the experience they gain this spring could prove invaluable in a year.
*stats and records taken from NBA.com
Here for the baby steps! Will be following
I will admit the difficulty is not hard yet, that will have to be turned up. 
