Through the first quarter of the season, it appears that the Indiana Pacers are in good hands with Bennedict Mathurin and Tyrese Haliburton.
It’s only natural to look at the Indiana Pacers‘ 12-8 start to the season and view it as a bit fraudulent. After all, two of the team’s most productive players are also players that most expect the Pacers to move at the NBA Trade Deadline.
Even if the Pacers do move forward with trading Buddy Hield and Myles Turner at the trade deadline, this is a franchise that is in good hands. Thanks in large part to the two players that they’ve gone all-in with their rebuild – Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin.
The Indiana Pacers have a bright future with their young, dynamic duo
I’m not sure if the Pacers will be a playoff team at the end of the season – they’re currently ranked 4th in the Eastern Conference standings – but they appear to have a bright future with the promise that both Haliburton and Mathurin have shown this season.
Haliburton’s excellent play this season should come as no surprise. This was a player that was showing signs of greatness even before he was acquired by the Pacers at last year’s NBA Trade Deadline. He’s just managed to continue to take steps forward.
This season, Haliburton is averaging 20 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds on 48 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from 3-point range. At just 22 years old, there’s a great chance that we haven’t even seen the best of Haliburton yet. That is an exciting thing to rally around for the Pacers.
But as impressive as Haliburton has been this season, you can make an argument that the team should be even more excited about Mathurin.
Mathurin, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, was somewhat of an afterthought after he was picked by the Pacers. Even though many believed he was a strong prospect, I’m not sure anyone thought he could be this.
He hasn’t even started a game this season for the Pacers and, still, he’s averaging 19 points and four rebounds per game on 44 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from 3-point range. He has the great size, athleticism, and offensive talent that every team looks for in a young, promising star.
Since making the decision to rebuild, the Pacers have done nothing but hit home runs with their first few moves. Haliburton and Mathurin have a bright future and they are now the faces of the Pacers.