Mitchell (calf) had a breakout campaign in his second NBA season and could earn a larger role in 2026-27 though he'll still have to compete with Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain for consistent playing time. His continued development as a secondary playmaker could determine whether he becomes a reliable fantasy contributor.
Haliburton torched the nets in the opening quarter of Indiana's Game 7 loss to the Thunder in the Finals, though he tore his Achilles before the end of the frame. The star floor general resumed 5-on-5 work in early April and said in late June that he felt like he was operating like a "healthy NBA player," per Scott Agness of FieldhouseFiles.com. Although he's had plenty of time to recover since undergoing Achilles surgery, Haliburton may still need time to ramp up to a full workload after such a serious injury. The 26-year-old will look to return to form after appearing in 73 regular-season games in 2024-25, during which he averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks while shooting 38.8 percent from three-point range in 33.6 minutes per tilt.