Haliburton Is Almost Back. The Rest of the Roster Is Another Matter.

Tyrese Haliburton is day-to-day now, which counts as good news around here. He was "shocked," by his own account, to learn his first game back from the torn Achilles won't draw a national broadcast — a reasonable reaction from a player of his profile, and a detail that at least confirms the return is close enough to be scheduling real games around.

The problem is that Haliburton coming back doesn't automatically solve what I noted three weeks ago: this roster has been running a day-to-day list that reads like a depth chart. Siakam, Nembhard, Nesmith, Sheppard, Walker, McConnell — six rotation players still being managed through protocols as training camp approaches. Some of that is routine late-summer maintenance. Some of it may not be. The distinction matters enormously for a team that went 19-63 last season and cannot afford to open another year shorthanded.

Johnny Furphy is the one currently listed as out, and his situation is worth watching separately. His final stretch last season was rough — shot volume spiked while his accuracy fell off a cliff, and neither the player nor the coaching staff found a correction before the year ended. He needs a clean camp more than most.

Indiana's offseason additions addressed real needs, and there were genuine late-season signs that the defense was improving. But none of that matters much if the Pacers walk into preseason with the same availability fog they've been carrying since July. Haliburton's return is the headline. Whether everyone else shows up healthy is the actual question.