BLOCKBUSTER BREAKING: “Pacers Land Two-Time All-Star in Surprise Trade — Tyrese Haliburton Gets Star Running Mate as Indiana Goes All-In for 2025 Title Push”

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the NBA landscape, the Indiana Pacers have pulled off a stunning trade to acquire a two-time All-Star, sending a clear message to the league: they are no longer a team on the rise—they’re ready to win now. The front office has officially placed all their chips on the table, giving superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton a dynamic co-star as they launch an all-out campaign for the 2025 NBA Championship.

Multiple league insiders confirmed on Saturday morning that the Pacers have acquired All-Star forward Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans in a blockbuster deal that few saw coming. In exchange, Indiana will send a package that includes promising young forward Jarace Walker, veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield, and multiple future draft picks, including a protected 2026 first-rounder and two second-round selections.

Indiana’s front office, led by President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard, had been relatively quiet this offseason—until now. With this massive trade, the Pacers instantly transform into one of the most compelling threats in the Eastern Conference.

Tyrese Haliburton, already considered one of the best young point guards in the NBA, now has a running mate who can create his own shot, defend multiple positions, and take pressure off him in late-game situations. The 24-year-old Haliburton averaged 20.1 points and 10.9 assists per game last season and was named an All-Star starter. Despite his stellar play, the Pacers were bounced in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, revealing their need for more star power.

Ingram, who averaged 21.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 2024, brings exactly that. A smooth scorer with playoff experience and a 6’8″ frame, he offers a skillset Indiana sorely lacked last season—a true secondary option who can close games, attack mismatches, and operate both on and off the ball.

This move is not without risk. Jarace Walker, the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, showed flashes of star potential in his rookie season. Buddy Hield, a veteran leader and elite three-point shooter, was a key part of Indiana’s floor spacing. And parting with future draft capital means the Pacers are betting big that their window is now—not later.

Still, many fans and analysts view the trade as a necessary gamble. With the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks continuing to load up, and rising teams like the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers getting stronger, Indiana couldn’t afford to stand still.

“Haliburton deserved this,” ESPN analyst Zach Lowe said on Saturday. “He’s blossomed into one of the league’s best guards, but he needed a co-star who could carry some of the weight. Ingram isn’t just a co-star—he might be the missing piece that gets them over the hump.”

The deal represents a dramatic shift in team identity. No longer content to be a fun young team with potential, the Pacers now expect to win—and win big. Their core of Haliburton, Ingram, Myles Turner, and Bennedict Mathurin offers balance, firepower, and defensive upside.

It also signals to the rest of the NBA that Indiana is a serious player in free agency and trade talks moving forward. With Ingram under contract for two more seasons and Haliburton locked up on a max extension, the Pacers have the stability and star power to build a real contender.