This past season, NBA fans saw the heights Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton can reach and how low he sunk during a certain slump in his campaign. As it stands, he is projected to be the fourth-best point guard in the league for next season and there’s a good reason why.
Before the previous campaign ended, Haliburton was named to the 2024 All-NBA Third Team, a significant accomplishment that has earned him a larger contract extension. He led the league in assists despite missing 13 games and was among the league’s best players for the first few months of the 2023-24 season.
Haliburton’s inclusion on the All-NBA Third Team made him the sixth player in Pacers history to be named to an All-NBA team. This recognition has financial implications as well, as his contract extension, which kicks in for the 2024-25 season, will now start at 30% of the salary cap instead of the standard 25%. This translates to an additional $40.89 million over the course of the five-year extension, based on the latest salary cap projections.
The point guard’s outstanding performance this season, including his contributions to the Pacers’ deep playoff run, has solidified his status as one of the league’s premier young talents. This latest accolade is a testament to his hard work and dedication, and it sets the stage for an even brighter future for both Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers.
The Reason Why Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton is the Fourth Best Point Guard Ahead of the 2024-25 Season
While his performance last season was commendable, it wasn’t enough to beat the likes of Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic or Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Heading into the new season, Haliburton has been named as the league’s fourth-best point guard for a good reason in an article by Frank Urbina for Hoops Hype.
“He’s also more than capable of scoring 20-plus points on any given night, as was the case in 2023-24 even with Haliburton having an uncharacteristically poor season shooting from beyond the arc. Over Haliburton’s first three seasons, he shot 40.8 percent from three, even despite his funky-looking jumper. In 2023-24, that mark dropped down to 36.4 percent, which could very well have been injury-related.
Even with the mediocre deep shooting marks, Haliburton helped lead Indiana back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2013-14, an incredibly impressive feat for the former Iowa State standout. Haliburton might not quite be in that MVP tier but we fully expect him to have another All-NBA-level campaign in 2024-25,” Urbina wrote.
Throughout 69 games during the last campaign, the All-Star guard averaged 20.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 10.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest. Apart from shooting 36.4 percent from deep, he also connected 47 percent from the field and 85 percent from the free throw line.
It remains to be seen how Haliburton will perform when the NBA returns later this month. In any case, his Olympic experience with Team USA may help improve his game and take him higher in the point guard hierarchy of the league.
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