Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton has been diagnosed with shingles and will be away from the team for the next several weeks, head coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday. The team has not announced a specific timetable for his return but indicated that Haliburton is expected to miss multiple weeks as he focuses on treatment and recovery.
Shingles is a viral illness caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. It typically results in a painful rash and can be accompanied by fatigue, fever, and nerve pain, symptoms that often require rest and careful management. For professional athletes, the condition can make high-intensity physical activity difficult until symptoms subside and energy levels return to normal.
Haliburton’s absence leaves a significant gap in the Pacers’ backcourt. As the team’s primary ball handler and offensive organizer, he plays a central role in initiating sets, creating scoring opportunities for teammates, and providing perimeter scoring. Without him, Indiana will need to lean more heavily on its remaining guards and playmakers to handle distribution duties and maintain offensive flow.
Coach Carlisle did not provide additional details on when Haliburton first began experiencing symptoms or whether he had been dealing with any health issues in recent games. The organization is expected to prioritize his long-term health, allowing him to fully recover before returning to game action or full-contact practice.
In the meantime, the Pacers’ coaching staff will likely adjust rotations and responsibilities to compensate for Haliburton’s absence. That could mean more minutes and expanded roles for reserve guards and secondary ball handlers, as well as schematic tweaks to reduce the playmaking burden on any single player. The team’s offense may evolve in the short term, with an increased emphasis on ball movement and contributions from multiple positions.
The Pacers have not released further medical updates or an exact target date for Haliburton’s return. Any future timetable will depend on how quickly his symptoms resolve and when team doctors clear him to resume full basketball activities. Until then, Indiana will move forward with a next-player-up approach while monitoring the health of its All-Star point guard.
