In a chat with NBA insider Marc Spears, basketball star Tyrese Haliburton opened up on his Pacers tenure and why he feels this is the best place for his career. While he has already become the face of the franchise, Tyrese says he feels an obligation to find success here and that he hopes to stick around for the rest of his career.
“But I feel like I’m obligated, at the same time, to protect this organization,” said Haliburton. “And I’m a part of this long-term. I hope to be a part of this for the rest of my career. So, it’s just a natural fit for me and it just feels like home. Everything feels like home. My family lives in Indy as well. It’s easy for my friends to hop in the car, tell me they’re coming the night of and just drive down for a game. It’s only five hours, which is nothing to Midwest people. It just fits so naturally and that’s why I love it.”
Haliburton, 23, is having a breakout season in Indy and he’s putting the whole world on notice with his All-Star potential. Drafted 12th overall in 2020, Tyrese spent his first 100 games in a Kings jersey before a big trade sent him to the Pacers in 2022.
Haliburton would later admit that the trade was heartbreaking for him at the time, but he has come to accept his new surroundings and is currently thriving as the face of a young and exciting Pacers team. With a contract that goes through 2029, Hali can rest easy knowing that his team will likely not change again until the turn of the decade, and it seems he doesn’t want it any other way.
Can Tyrese Haliburton Lead The Pacers To A Championship?
With just Haliburton, Myles Turner, and Benedict Mathurin, the Pacers were pretty good on the court together and looked like a competitive lower-level playoff team in the East. But after the trade for Pascal Siakam in February, the timeline has changed in Indiana and there is a sense that they are ready to put together a special playoff run.
For his part, Tyrese has shown that he’s more than capable as a leader and playmaker for the Pacers, and his season average of 21.8 points, 11.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game have him on par with the best of the best in the league. This weekend, he’ll be rewarded for it with his second-straight All-Star appearance.
This summer, the options are limited for the Pacers, given what they gave up for Pascal Siakam just a few weeks ago. At one point, a potential Paul George pursuit was in play but now it seems like they’ll have to be content with running it back.
At 31-25 right now, the Pacers are good for 6th in the standings and they hold a .5-game lead over the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic. The race for that final guaranteed playoff spot will be intense as the season progresses, but the Pacers are more equipped than most to keep up and stay ahead of the competition. Thanks to Haliburton, they are relevant in the East now for the first time since the Paul George era ended years ago. In truth, it’s just the beginning of a new era for them, and maybe their best one yet…
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