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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 05: Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on December 05, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Seemingly nothing has gone right for the Indiana Pacers this season. The Pacers, who are in last place in the NBA Eastern Conference standings with a 15–43 record, will be without star point guard Tyrese Haliburton for multiple weeks.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told the media on Sunday that Haliburton was diagnosed with shingles and will be away from the team for multiple weeks.
“It’s a very painful thing,” Carlisle said. “… He will make a full recovery, but this happened over the last few days. He was meeting us in D.C., had some odd symptoms, and came back here. That’s what’s happening with him. We certainly wish him a speedy recovery. It’s a unique case and a unique situation, but I’ve talked to him a few times and he’s always in a good mood, so he’ll get through it.”
Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is a painful rash caused by reactivation of the varicella virus, which also causes chickenpox. After recovering from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in nerve tissue and can reactivate years later for a number of reasons, including stress and other factors.
Recovery usually takes between two and four weeks, though pain can extend longer than that.
What to Expect From Haliburton the Rest of the Season
GettyIndiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton celebrates. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Haliburton is in his sixth year in the league after being taken with the 12th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He spent two seasons with the Sacramento Kings and has been with the Pacers since.
He has not played a game this season while recovering from a torn Achilles, which he suffered at the end of last season. Despite not suiting up for the Pacers, he has been an active presence on the bench and around the team during the tumultuous season.
What to Expect for the Pacers Going Forward
GettyRick Carlisle yells during a game. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The 2025–26 season has been doomed from the start. The Pacers opened the season with five consecutive losses, including two 20-plus-point blowouts, and won only two of their first 18 games.
They did hit a slight groove, winning four of six games at the end of November and early December before going into a 13-game losing streak.
The Pacers are currently riding a three-game losing streak.
Forward Pascal Siakam leads the team in scoring this season at 23.9 points per game, followed by guard Bennedict Mathurin at 17.8 and Andrew Nembhard at 17.2.
Even without Haliburton, expectations were much higher for this season. However, with the Pacers not competing for an NBA Playoffs spot, they will continue to focus on building for the future.
Haliburton’s return for the 2026–27 season will be a much-needed boost, and the Pacers will look to add more contributors around their young guard through free agency and the upcoming NBA Draft this summer.
The Pacers will be picking near the top of the draft, where they could go in a number of directions as they attempt to rebuild the roster.
While Haliburton wouldn’t have been able to suit up anyway, his time away from the team during his recovery will still be felt.