Jan 13, 2021; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Former Cyclone Tyrese Haliburton is reportedly on the move two days before the NBA’s trade deadline.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported the Sacramento Kings will send Haliburton, along with teammates Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson, to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday.
Haliburton has been outstanding for the Kings again this season after finishing third in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year voting in 2020-21 and being named to the All-Rookie first-team.
The Oshkosh, Wis. native is averaging 14.3 points, 7.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals through 51 games in 2021-22. All of those averages are increases from his rookie year output last season. As is his 41.3 percent shooting percentage from 3-point range.
Just a few weeks ago, the Kings were reportedly focused on building around Haliburton and star guard DeAaron Fox after briefly discussing a trade that would’ve sent Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons to Sacramento. Apparently, that thought process has changed with Haliburton, and two other significant pieces of the Kings’ core, set to join the team in Indiana.
Haliburton was taken by the Kings with the 12th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft after a pair of standout seasons at Iowa State that saw him earn second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2019-20 and win a Big 12 Tournament title as a freshman in 2019.