'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Indiana Pacers have secured Tyrese Haliburton after reportedly agreeing a five-year max extension that could be worth up to $260 million. Haliburton is coming off the best season of his career, and the Pacers have now made him their official franchise pillar.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first reported Haliburton's deal on Twitter, confirming the negotiations between Indiana, Dave Spahn and Aaron Mintz of Creative Arts Agency. It's the largest contract in franchise history and just the second one to exceed $100 million.
Haliburton is coming off a season where he averaged 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He was named an All-Star in just his first full season in Indiana. He was acquired by the Pacers midway through the 2021-22 season in exchange for Domantas Sabonis.
Haliburton is the first member of the 2020 NBA Draft class to sign his rookie max extension. He was the No. 12 pick by the Sacramento Kings, and it was surprising to see him drop that year. There were rumors that he forced his way to Sacramento by telling teams to not select him.
However, Tyrese Haliburton cleared the air in an appearance on JJ Redick's 'The Old Man and the Three' podcast last year. He explained that he only told the Cleveland Cavaliers (5th pick) and the Atlanta Hawks (6th pick) to not draft him:
"The media and people make this up that I forced my way to Sacramento," Haliburton said. "That's not the truth at all. The truth is I told one or two teams not to draft me. It was Atlanta and it was Cleveland. I told Atlanta don't pick me because they have this guard-heavy room.
"I told Cleveland not to pick me. They just took back-to-back point guards, don't pick me as well. From there, it was open season for everybody and they didn't pick me. So the narrative that I forced my way to Sacramento is not true at all."
Desmond Bane, the No. 30 pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, was the second player to get an extension. Other top players from the draft that could get an extension are Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Immanuel Quickley.
Tyrese Haliburton to lead young core of Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton is now the official face of the Indiana Pacers. Haliburton is expected to lead the Pacers back to the playoffs. They were pretty close last season before struggling in the second half of the campaign.
Apart from Haliburton, the Pacers have a bunch of young players like Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith. Indiana also added Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard and Isaiah Wong in the 2023 NBA Draft.
