An extended stay in the Hoosier State might be on the horizon for Tyrese Haliburton. The Indiana Pacers star detailed his love for Indiana and the foreseeable future this week in an interview on ESPN. Haliburton has had a spectacular offseason so far and has now provided a clear picture regarding his long-term outlook on his career in Indiana.
Tyrese Haliburton Wants Players to Come to Him, Not the Other Way Around
Pacers Star Shows Commitment to His City
Mark it down—Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is adamant about which team he wants to play for the long term. The Pacers All-Star spoke at length with Pat McAfee on his daily ESPN show about varying topics surrounding basketball. They touched on his experience at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Pacers, and, more specifically, player recruitment.
McAfee and Haliburton discussed how recruiting has played a role in Halliburton’s career since becoming a Pacer. The forward didn’t shy away from giving an honest response.
“The story about me recruiting players to Indiana got blown out of proportion. They made it seem like I was the only one doing it, but everyone was recruiting. I just play in the smallest market, so when I do it, it gets magnified. That’s fine, though,” Haliburton said. “Indiana is a great market. It’s a basketball state. We’ve got a good thing going here, so if anyone wants to play with me, they’ll have to come to Indiana. I’m not going anywhere.”
What’s interesting about Haliburton’s explanation is that he may be one of few superstars in the NBA who aren’t willing to move cities to accomplish a star team-up. This mindset held by Haliburton has to be delightful news to the Pacers’ front office and organization as a whole. This may be fuel the Pacer’s front office can glean from in the future when hunting for free agents and trades.
The Pacers/Kings Trade Has Lived Well
The Pacers star’s stance on recruiting and desire to stay in Indiana should make everyone in the Pacers organization happy. Although, let’s not forget that circumstances change over time. Damian Lillard‘s philosophy was deeply rooted in his desire not to leave Portland to chase a ring. Lillard stood firm in his position for several years. Eventually, however, he and Portland parted ways via a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023.
However, Haliburton’s case may prove to be different from Lillard’s, for now. Haliburton has already experienced being traded from the Sacramento Kings. That trade was followed by much confusion and criticism at the time. Fast forward three years, and it would seem that the trade, which saw Domantas Sabonis go to Sacramento, has paved out rather well for both franchises. Both teams are rising in their respective conferences, and Haliburton has flourished as an Indiana Pacers star. For Sabonis, he has become one of the NBA’s best and most dominant all-around players and rebounders.
Haliburton’s Comments Are a Great Sign for Indiana
Haliburton’s calling for players to come to him instead of him leaving Indiana is a great sign for a small-market team like Indiana. Small-market teams are often left behind in the superstar department and don’t receive much coverage throughout the NBA season. But that factor doesn’t seem to bother the Pacers star one way or another. What bodes well for Indiana is that Haliburton recognizes the space he is in. The notion that he is still willing to plant his flag and lead the franchise for years to come is a welcoming thought.
