(Photo credit: Trevor Ruszkowski)

The agonizing wait is almost over.

Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is set to play his first game that counts in 486 days when the Indiana Pacers hit the road to face the New Orleans Pelicans in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday.

Haliburton missed all of last season after he tore his right Achilles tendon on the biggest stage of all, Game 7 of the 2025 Finals against Oklahoma City.

The Thunder went on to win the game and the championship, before following up with the best regular-season record in the NBA in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, Indiana wallowed in Haliburton's absence, slumping to the second-worst record in the league at 19-63.

'It's special,' Haliburton said of his pending return. 'I don't take basketball for granted. I don't take the opportunity to be healthy and be back on the floor doing what I love for granted. This state, this fan base means a lot to me. It's very much appreciated and I'm ready to get to the real games.'

Indiana fans held their breath when Haliburton walked off gingerly at halftime of a preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks, but he confirmed all is well.

'I'm good,' Haliburton said. 'I just went knee-to-knee. I get a few charley horses a year, so (I'll) stretch and be fine.'

Pascal Siakam acknowledged the Pacers still have work to do to rebuild their chemistry with Haliburton back in the lineup.

'We've got to figure each other out,' Siakam said. 'To have Ty back, he's a big part of what we do. We're trying to figure out a way to have him back on the floor, figure out (Ivica Zubac). ... Mostly for me, preseason is just getting into shape and trying to figure out my teammates' tendencies, things like that.'

Aaron Nesmith missed Indiana's last two preseason games with a hamstring injury, but returned to practice last week.

New Orleans, which went 26-56 last season, defeated the Washington Wizards on Friday to cap an impressive 3-1 preseason campaign.

Saddiq Bey scored 19 points against the Wizards and second-year guard Jeremiah Fears added 14, but Zion Williamson's four attempts from three-point range in 22 minutes attracted the most attention.

Williamson missed all four, yet the willingness to shoot from long range was encouraging for first-year Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley. Williamson went just 1 of 4 from deep all of last season.

'I loved that he shot it -- gosh I love it -- and they looked good,' said Mosley, who was hired by New Orleans in May, two weeks after being fired as Orlando Magic coach. 'He's putting so much work in off the court with (assistant coach God Shammgod). Every day after practice, he's done a heck of a job. I think if he continues to trust that, he knows it's going to have a chance to go in.'

Guard Dejounte Murray sat out the Pelicans' last three preseason games with a right toe contusion but is expected to play against the Pacers.

'Just was being cautious of it,' Murray said. 'It was really fat. And purple. It was really just getting the swelling down. That was it. I feel great. It's not swollen (now). I'm able to run, jump, participate.'

--Field Level Media