There were a lot of question marks surrounding Tyrese Haliburton when he first entered the NBA. Drafted 12th overall in 2020 by the Sacramento Kings, nobody knew if Haliburton would be a point guard, a shooting guard, a primary scorer, all of the above or none of the above. He very quickly left his imprint leading Sacramento's second unit and now, he has turned into one of the best facilitating guards in the entire league with the Indiana Pacers.
In his first full season with the Pacers this past year, Haliburton averaged 20.7 points, 10.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from three-point range. An all-around high-impact performer, the 23-year-old guard is now the face of the franchise in Indiana and is prepared to be paid like the face of the franchise.
During the first 24 hours of free agency this offseason, Haliburton and the Pacers agreed to a five-year, $205.9 million max rookie extension that could increase to a total of $260 million over the course of those five years. Set to begin in the 2024-25 season, the Pacers guard is scheduled to make around $35.5 million, which will rank him inside the Top-30 of salaries across the league.
So, how exactly is Haliburton getting $260 million if his contract is only worth $205.9 million you may ask?
The easy answer is that these rookie extension deals that get agreed to are complicated and can increase in value over time based on player performance and the league's overall financial rules. The base number for Haliburton's new contract is $205.9 million, as that is what he is guaranteed through the 2028-29 season. However, he can make up to $260 million if he was to earn All-NBA honors or win one of the league's awards such as Most Valuable Player, as this would trigger an increase in salary per terms of the contract.
Haliburton is not the only player to sign such a contract, as Charlotte Hornets All-Star LaMelo Ball and Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards also signed the same type of contract this offseason. If Haliburton was to be named to the All-NBA list, he would see his contract jump, earning him more guaranteed salary than the $205.9 million base suggests.
Named an All-Star for the first time in his career and performing like one of the best point guards in the league, Haliburton deserved to be paid like one of the best point guards in the league.
He finished the 2022-23 season ranking seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.1), fourth in total assists (585) and second in assists per game (10.4). Not to mention, Haliburton ranked 38th in the league in made threes and finished shooting over 40 percent from deep for the third consecutive year.
There is no denying that Tyrese Haliburton is a star and from the Pacers' point of view, they are thrilled to have him as their leader in the backcourt. With new, versatile and athletic teammates by his side in Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker, the Pacers could be prepared to take a massive step forward heading into the new season.
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