Tyrese Haliburton surgery, explained: What Achilles repair means for Pacers star in 2025-26 and beyond

Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn right Achilles early in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The injury ended Haliburton's night just seven minutes in and required surgery that will likely hold him out for at least the next nine months.

Haliburton underwent surgery to repair the tendon Monday, the Pacers announced. He joins Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum as the third notable star to undergo a similar operation in the past two months and now faces a similar road to recovery. 

At 25, Haliburton is the youngest of the trio to suffer the injury, and he is expected to make a full recovery. The time Haliburton takes to recover will depend on his response to the surgery and Indiana's plan for his treatment and rehab.

📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

Here is what Haliburton's surgery means for the road ahead.

MORE NBA FINALS:

• Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, more react to Tyrese Haliburton's Game 7 injury
• Tyrese Haliburton consoles teammates after Game 7 loss while on crutches
• Pacers VP scolds ESPN cameraman for filming teary-eyed T.J. McConnell after Game 7

Tyrese Haliburton surgery, explained

Haliburton had surgery to repair his Achilles tendon on Monday, June 23, which means he did so one day after sustaining the injury.

After the operation, Haliburton took to social media to share the news of his successful surgery along with some very candid thoughts about what he has gone through.

Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.

Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the… pic.twitter.com/UyY0iFEp6Z

— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) June 24, 2025

Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the number of times people will tell me I’m going to 'come back stronger.' What a cliche lol, this s— sucks. My foot feels like dead weight fam. But what’s hurting most I think is my mind. Feel like I’m rambling, but I know this is something I’ll look back on when I’m through this, as something I’m proud I fought through. It feels good to let this s— out without y’all seeing the kid ugly cry. …

At 25, I’ve already learned that God never gives us more than we can handle. I know I’ll come out on the other side of this a better man and a better player. And honestly, right now, torn Achilles and all, I don’t regret it. I’d do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers. For the chance to do something special.

Haliburton's surgery timeline is similar to that of Tatum, who had the injury repaired within 12 hours of going down. In May, Dr. Lou Soslowsky, founding director of the Penn Achilles Tendinopathy Center of Research Translation, spoke of the benefits of quick surgery to CelticsBlog's Noa Dalzell.

“Because this repair was within a day, those processes had only just begun, and with a surgical pair, the torn ends were put right back together before a lot of these adverse biologic effects occurred." Soslowsky said. "And so the opportunity for a faster recovery really is present.”

Like Tatum, Haliburton's surgery was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Tyrese Haliburton recovery timeline

The rehab and recovery process for Achilles injuries typically takes nine to 12 months.

With Haliburton suffering the injury on June 22 and undergoing surgery on June 23, Haliburton's recovery timeline keeps him sidelined through at least the end of March 2026. Given the timing of the recent precedent, Haliburton could miss the entirety of the 2025-26 season, which ends in mid-April.

Tyrese Haliburton contract

Haliburton is set to enter the second year of a five-year, $244.6 million contract extension signed with the Pacers. He is set to earn just under $46 million in 2025-26 and is under contract through at least the 2028-29 season.