INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Despite not having two starters from last year’s team, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said on Monday that he remains confident in what coach Rick Carlisle and his team can do.

The Pacers were one of the deepest teams in the league last year and Pritchard says he’s excited to see what the team can do when everybody is doubting them.

“We have some challenges with Ty’s injury but you know we like what we have,” Pritchard said. “We’ve done the best when we’ve had a chip on our shoulder, when everybody counts us out in a series or a season, and I’m not so sure you should count us out yet.”

“I’m hopeful that people write us off. Let’s put it that way.”

Pritchard acknowledged that setting expectations is challenging.

“Expectations is a really hard word for me, because if you would have said two years ago my expectations were you’re going to be Eastern Conference finalists and then 24 minutes from winning an NBA championship,” Pritchard said. “So I think the one thing I’ve learned from that is this — you put the best players out on the court and you let them determine how good they become.”

The Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton, who is out for the season as he recovers from a torn Achilles. He suffered the injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Pritchard confirmed on Monday that Haliburton will not play in the 2025-26 season.

“You don’t replace Ty, and if you do, it’s in a collective,” Pritchard said.

The Pacers are 11-11 (.500, 41 win pace) without Haliburton in the last two seasons. With him, they’ve been 86-56 (.605, 49.6 win pace).

But, the Pacers are a team that is fueled by its bench. They were 7th in the NBA in bench points last season, and their second unit had the highest field goal percentage in the NBA (49.6%).

“We have a bunch of guys that are experienced, they’ve been in some of the biggest, toughest games,” Pritchard said.

Pritchard did not rule out making moves to improve the team as well.

“We’re going to be as active as we’ve been,” Pritchard said. “If a big deal comes, I’m really excited about that possibility.”

He also thinks that being so close to the NBA title will motivate the team.

“I think you get very hungry to do it again,” Pritchard said.

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