5 years, $250 million! Overcoming an Achilles tear! Welcome the top point guard in the East.

He's back, the magical wizard.

Reporter Sidery reports:Haliburton will be ready for the Pacers' season opener this October.

The guy suffered an Achilles tear last June, causing him to miss the entire 25-26 season. After more than a year of recovery, it's indeed time for his full return.

The 24-25 Pacers were impressive, posting a 50-32 regular-season record, good for fourth in the East. In the playoffs, they eliminated the Bucks, Cavaliers, and this year's champion Knicks, then pushed the Thunder to seven games in the Finals before falling short.

Notably, Haliburton suffered his Achilles tear during Game 7 of last year's Finals in Oklahoma City. He played only about seven minutes, hitting 3 of 4 three-pointers for 9 points. If he hadn't been injured, that championship trophy might not have gone to the Thunder. Unfortunately, there are no ifs.

Haliburton's stats for the 24-25 season are as follows:

Regular season: 33.6 minutes, 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 1.4 steals, shooting 47.3% from the field and 38.8% from three (3.0 makes per game). Playoffs: 33.6 minutes, 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.3 steals, shooting 46.3% from the field and 34% from three (2.3 makes per game).

The guy was born on February 29, 2000, a 1.96m point guard with a 2.02m wingspan, selected 12th overall in the 2020 draft.

In his NBA career so far, Haliburton has earned 2 All-NBA Third Team selections, 1 assists title, 2 All-Star appearances, and 1 Olympic gold medal. In the summer of 2023, he signed a 5-year, $245 million max contract.

Given that Haliburton is still young and relies more on skill, many believe he can return to his peak form after the Achilles injury and lead the Pacers back to being a playoff-caliber team.

Recently, The Lead posted that the Pacers might be even stronger next season than in 2025, and shared their roster as follows:

Point guards: Haliburton and TJ McConnell;

Shooting guards: Nembhard, Oubre, and Ben Sheppard;

Small forwards: Nesmith and Jarace Walker;

Power forwards: Siakam and Obi Toppin;

Centers: Zubac, Huff, and Larry Nance Jr.