It feels like the Indiana Pacers haven’t made a big splash in free agency since [checks notes] signing David West more than a decade ago. But franchise player Tyrese Haliburton is clearly trying to change that.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday on “NBA Countdown” that the Pacers star Haliburton is making a big pitch to some of his fellow NBA stars. Wojnarowski says Haliburton is letting it be known that he would like other stars to join him in Indiana and is looking to use this season to make his case to them.
Wojnarowski also mentions that Toronto’s Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are two particular players the Pacers have pursued via trade recently.
Here is the full clip of Wojnarowski’s remarks.
The 23-year-old Haliburton is quickly putting himself on the map as one of the very best guards in the league. A delightfully crafty passer, Haliburton leads the NBA with 11.9 assists a game and is also chipping in 26.9 points per contest on a dazzling 44.7 percent from deep.
On top of that, Haliburton has steered Indiana, a team that hasn’t made the postseason since the bubble, to an 11-8 record and a surprising berth in the semifinal round of the NBA’s in-season tournament. The stage is set for a bright longer-term future too since Haliburton agreed to a mountainous five-year, $260 million max extension with the Pacers over the summer.
Because of location and modest payroll, Indiana is unlikely to ever be a major player on the free-agent market. But the hope here is that the Pacers' run-and-gun team led by the walking highlight reel Haliburton will be enough to attract the talent they need to truly compete.
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