Tyrese Haliburton emerged as a first-time All-Star during the 2022-23 season, averaging 20.7 points and 10.4 assists per game (on 49.0/40.0/87.1 shooting splits) in his first full season with the Indiana Pacers.
After trading Domantas Sabonis to the Kings for Haliburton at the deadline in 2022, the Pacers were banking on the young guard flourishing in a lead role and so far that has paid off considerably. Haliburton looks the part of a franchise-leading guard, and as the calendar turned to July and the new league year officially began, he was rewarded with a max extension, currently 5 years, $207 million, from Indiana.
BREAKING: All-Star G Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers are agreed on a five-year, designated maximum contract extension that could be worth up to $260 million, his agents Dave Spahn and Aaron Mintz of @CAASports tell ESPN. Haliburton is fully the franchise cornerstone now. pic.twitter.com/je59CkPNOj
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023
Tyrese, for his part, is excited.
life fire
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) July 1, 2023
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) July 1, 2023
That deal can become the $260 million deal Woj notes with an All-NBA campaign from Haliburton next year, which Indiana would be happy to pay if he continues to develop into a top-15 player in the NBA.
The Pacers will look to move into the East’s playoff and Play-In picture next season, with Haliburton at the center of their plans. Myles Turner certainly looks, for now, like he’ll be back at center and the Pacers added a big piece from the Nuggets title team on Friday, luring Bruce Brown out of Denver with a two-year, $45 million deal to bring some much-needed perimeter defense to Indiana. Along with some encouraging young players like Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard, there’s plenty of intrigue when it comes to the Pacers, but for them to go where they want to, they’re banking on Haliburton’s breakout last year being just the beginning of a rise to superstardom.
