Tyrese Haliburton returns for Indiana Pacers in training scrimmage

Tyrese Haliburton played his first minutes before an Indiana crowd since June 2025, stepping onto the Gainbridge Fieldhouse floor for a 12-minute intra-squad scrimmage as the Indiana Pacers opened their training preparations. The All-Star point guard missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a torn right Achilles tendon during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving the team to struggle through a 19-63 record and a 14th-place finish in the East, representing the worst record in franchise history. Speaking at the team’s Media Day on September 28, 2026, Haliburton declared himself fully recovered, telling reporters, I am in great shape, 100 percent. There will be no restrictions. This is not news. There is no source. I am the source.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse Welcomes Back the Star Guard

The twelve-minute training session gave local fans their first look at the point guard in uniform in over a year. Haliburton joined the starting unit for the scrimmage, testing his movement in front of a supportive home crowd. It’s a treat, it was pure fun. I’m so happy to be back… Haliburton said after the session. His return marks a vital turning point for an Indiana squad that struggled significantly during his absence, finishing the 2025-26 campaign with a 19-63 record. With the team’s core remaining largely intact outside of his absence, the organization enters the new season looking to recapture the form that carried them within 48 minutes of an NBA title.

Building Chemistry With New Center Ivica Zubac

During the opening week of training camp, Haliburton immediately began developing on-court chemistry with new starting center Ivica Zubac, who arrives in Indiana expected to make people forget Myles Turner. In the team’s initial scrimmage, the pick-and-roll partnership yielded immediate results as Zubac contributed 12 points and 6 rebounds. He is massive, he poses a lot of problems for the opponent, in attack as in defense, whether on the rebound, on fast breaks, on all these aspects, Haliburton noted of his new teammate. The guard also plans to utilize the skills of Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac to recreate the pick-and-roll plays that troubled opponents throughout the league prior to his injury, positioning the team for a potential rise in the standings.

PUMA Prepares the Hali 2 Signature Line

Alongside his return to the hardwood, Haliburton used the start of the season to launch the marketing rollout for his second signature sneaker with PUMA, following his multi-year deal signed in October 2024. The guard took to Instagram to tease the upcoming release of the PUMA Hali 2, with PUMA beginning to build a true continuity around the player through this second shoe. The new low-top model follows the debut of the Hali 1, which was unveiled on June 5, 2025, ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals in an “Hibiscus” colorway, and later followed by the “Pace” edition in yellow and navy for Indiana, expected on October 23, 2026, in the United States for $130. Featuring an initial colorway titled “Thermal Vision” that gives the model a strong personality, the Hali 2 opens the second chapter for the young signature line. While PUMA has not yet announced official technical specifications or a European retail price for the Hali 2, the footwear is expected to debut during the Holiday 2026 shopping window, symbolizing a fresh commercial and athletic chapter for the player following his lengthy rehabilitation.

Uncertainty Surrounds the Pacers Opening Preseason Test

While Haliburton insists he enters the new campaign without physical limitations or medical restrictions, questions remain regarding how quickly his conditioning and timing will translate against live competition. The Pacers open their preseason schedule on Wednesday, giving coaching staff and medical personnel their first opportunity to evaluate the point guard’s workload in a traditional game environment. With the regular season tipping off in less than three weeks, observers continue to monitor whether the 26-year-old playmaker can immediately resume the elite production that earned him a selection to the All-NBA Third Team prior to his injury.