Why Tyrese Haliburton felt overlooked

Tyrese Haliburton is finally nearing his comeback after more than a year away, yet the NBA’s scheduling of his return has left him puzzled. The Indiana Pacers will open the 2026/27 season on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans, a choice Haliburton openly questioned on the “Numbers On The Board” podcast. He asked whether any player of his stature, returning from a torn Achilles after 16 months, would debut without national TV coverage or a home crowd.

His point was clear: Indiana isn’t opening against a recent rival like the Knicks, Cavaliers, Thunder, Pistons, Celtics, Heat or Hawks, but against a team from the opposite conference with little shared history. Before his injury, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists, earned two All‑NBA selections and led the Pacers to Game 7 of the Finals. His return is one of the league’s most anticipated storylines.