ESPN sees Pacers bouncing back, but questions bench and Ivica Zubac fit

The Pacers won 19 games last season. They also reached the NBA Finals the last time Tyrese Haliburton was healthy. So, yeah, predicting Indiana may require a wider margin for error than usual. ESPN released its early Pacers season preview, giving their offseason a B-minus and ranking them 15th in its Basketball Power Index. The primary reason for optimism is obvious. Haliburton is returning 16 months after tearing his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals. Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin remain. Rick Carlisle does, too. Indiana also has Ivica Zubac, acquired from...