Caitlin Clark Declares Close Friend Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers 2027 NBA Champs After Trade Deadline Action

The Tyrese Haliburton-less Indiana Pacers have been languishing at the bottom, months after almost winning their first NBA title.

Caitlin Clark Declares Close Friend Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers 2027 NBA Champs After Trade Deadline Action

Tyrese Haliburton and Caitlin Clark (Image via FirstSportz)

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When Tyrese Haliburton and his Indiana Pacers surged to the 2025 NBA Finals, they had Caitlin Clark often seated courtside, working as one of their biggest cheerleaders.

Nevertheless, that campaign ended in heartbreak after the Pacers’ guard tore his Achilles tendon in the early minutes of the deciding Game 7. They would eventually lose the game, as the loss of Haliburton made it easier for the Oklahoma City Thunder to win their first title.

The Pacers are also vying for their first, but they knew the 2025-26 season was going to be a struggle. With their most important playmaker out for the season, all the team had to do was keep fighting and see what came out of it.

They are two losses away from being the worst team in the league, and this struggle proved to the top brass that they needed to make some serious changes.

It was evident that some pieces needed to be moved as there was no way a team that went to the NBA Finals last year was struggling this badly without Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner, who decided to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Pacers 2027 world champions.

Caitlin Clark wrote on X

This was the Indiana Fever superstar’s tweet moments after it was confirmed that the Pacers had made a massive trade moments before the deadline. Clark feels that this move is going to change their fortunes.

Tyrese Haliburton will have Ivica Zubac as his next big man

After losing Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Indiana Pacers did not go aggressively in search of their next big man and instead traded for center Jay Huff from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Ivica Zubac tussling with Nikola Jokic
Ivica Zubac tussling with Nikola Jokic (Image via S_Rabinal/X)

The undrafted big man out of Virginia has generally been a backup. Therefore, it was expected that the franchise would look for its next big man either during the February trade deadline or next offseason.

Then, ESPN’s lead insider, Shams Charania, dropped a bombshell when he revealed that the franchise landed Ivica Zubac. To get him, they had to part with Benedict Mathurin, one of the standout players from their NBA Finals run, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and a second-rounder.

That price may seem steep, but judging by Caitlin Clark‘s reaction, it is clear that even she knows what the big Croatian brings to the table.

The 28-year-old had a career year with the Clippers last season and is widely regarded as one of the best big men in the league. If not for the Clippers’ struggles, maybe they could have demanded a bigger compensation package.

Rick Carlisle has high praise for Ivica Zubac

Within minutes of the news of this trade going live, reporters at the Indiana Pacers’ practice facilities met up with head coach Rick Carlisle to seek his opinion about their incoming center.

Zubac is a tremendous center. He’s a Top 10 center in the NBA. We have a great need. He brings things to the center position that we haven’t had in my tenure here.

Rick Carlisle replied

The oldest head coach in the league has seen quite a few good big men and knows a good one when he sees one. Carlisle detailed how Ivica Zubac has a good combination of physicality and the deft touch that European players are known for.

It seems they are all on board with this trade, and hope that the 7-footer’s skills work to their advantage, both this season and when Tyrese Haliburton returns.

Considering how great a passer the point guard is, the team’s pick-and-roll production should be exceptional. The franchise might be working towards getting back in the Finals.

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