INDIANAPOLIS – The run that Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is on since the All-Star break is nearly unmatched in NBA history.
The 2024 Gold Medalist has been terrific in his 18 games since having some time off. Haliburton has 201 assists in that stretch and just 20 turnovers, good for a 10.1 assist-to-turnover. Haliburton is the second player in NBA history (Muggsy Bogues) to have 200+ assists and 20 or fewer turnovers in an 18-game stretch, and the Pacers are rolling as a result – they are 13-5 in those 18 games.
“He’s been able to thrive, especially in this system, his fast pace,” Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said of Haliburton and the Pacers. “The more and more he plays, the better and better he gets.”
Haliburton’s passing at high volumes while rarely turning the ball over has always been his superpower. In 2023-24, for example, he led the league in assists per game. All of the five players behind him in that stat category averaged more turnovers than the Pacers star.
Looking at his mentioned 18-game stretch, while Bogues was his equal a few times in terms of passing and caretaking, Haliburton far exceeds the former Charlotte floor general in every other way. The most points Bouges scored in one of his 18-game stretches matching the above criteria was 139. Haliburton has 379 right now.
Very few players approach Haliburton’s scoring, passing, and mistake-free stats during his post All-Star break stretch. The Pacers have an absurd 126.8 offensive rating with Haliburton on the floor in those 18-games.
“He makes a big difference for us, obviously,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Haliburton late last month. “Offensively, our spacing is enhanced. His skill level and passing adds a big component… there are things that are really important that he brings us.”
Haliburton’s run of play has pushed him into All-NBA conversations. His 2024-25 season has been peculiar – he started slow and had to re-discover his love for the game to get going. His first 15-25 games were well below his usual standard, and that kept him out of All-Star consideration. Despite making an All-NBA team last year, Haliburton’s first impression was poor.
But his performances since mid-February have launched him back into awards consideration. Indiana is close to clinching home court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, and Haliburton’s game-changing offensive play has been a major factor in the team’s ascent toward the top of the standings.
“He’s on third-team All-NBA for me right now on the ballot that I don’t have,” Zach Lowe of The Ringer said of Haliburton. “He’s played even above that for quite a bit of the season now.”
Does Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton have an All-NBA case?
Haliburton’s All-NBA case is built on more than his statistical feats and advanced stats, though his numbers are illustrative. Rather, he is the Pacers style. They play fast, throw more passes than anyone, and generate efficient shots because Haliburton can create excellent shots for himself and others, and he does it all for the team with the fourth-best record in the East.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton warms up on the court before an NBA basketball game against … More
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His statistical case is excellent, too. Only Nikola Jokic and Trae Young are averaging more assists per game than Haliburton, and the Pacers star is up to top-50 in scoring and three-point percentage. His offensive output is immense, even on a per game basis.
Advanced stats tell a rosy story. Haliburton ranks seventh in the NBA in Basketball Reference’s Box Plus-Minus, including fifth on the offensive end. ESPN’s Net Points ranks him as the eighth-most impactful player in the league. Via Estimated Plus-Minus from Dunks And Threes, Haliburton sits in ninth. Most all-in-one metrics grade Haliburton highly thanks to his offensive firepower and strong influence on the Pacers success.
Haliburton does have an All-NBA case, though his substandard 15-or-so games in October through early December hurt it. The star guard started slow, and that level of play is still stuck in some heads.
But Indiana’s floor general has an argument to make an All-NBA team, and the Pacers might hope he earns the honor. Last year, making the All-NBA third team gave Haliburton a salary boost. This year, it could have a similar impact – albeit far down the line.
Because Haliburton finished his rookie-scale contract as a member of the Pacers, he is eligible for a supermax contract with the franchise in the future – should he qualify for one. Indiana is the only team that Haliburton could ever sign a supermax deal with, and his All-NBA spot is a potential piece of the puzzle when it comes to his future eligibility.
The real term for such contracts is called a Designated Veteran Player Extension (DVPE), and in order to be eligible for them, a player must achieve some sort of league award(s) on top of having at least seven years of NBA service:
- Be named to one of the league’s three All-NBA teams in either the most recent season or two of the previous three, or;
- Be named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in either the most recent season or two of the previous three, or;
- Be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in one of the NBA’s prior three seasons.
That is on top of finishing their rookie deal with the team that they still play for, which applies to Haliburton. If one or multiple above the above criteria is met, then a player is eligible for a DVPE, and that comes with Higher Max Criteria possibilities.
In Haliburton’s case, that would mean he is eligible for a contract extension that would start at 35% of the salary cap and begin once his current agreement ends. Players usually aren’t eligible for 35% of the salary cap until they have 10 years of service – that is, unless they qualify for a DVPE.
Because Haliburton would only be eligible for such an extension with the Pacers and no other franchise, his All-NBA finishes will matter going forward. Should Haliburton make an All-NBA team in 2024-25, he would then be on the clock to potentially be supermax eligible in Indiana come 2027. Should Haliburton be named to an All-NBA team this season, he would need to make just one more All-NBA team across the next two seasons to be eligible for a DVPE.
If Haliburton is named to an All-NBA team in 2025 and 2026, then after his seventh season ends in 2027 he will be eligible for Higher Max Criteria since he was on an All-NBA team in two of the most recent three seasons. If he is named to one of the squads in 2027, then the most recent campaign would have ended with an All-NBA nod. That, too, would make him DVPE eligible. He would be allowed to sign a massive extension. Altogether, that means a 2025 All-NBA appearance would give Haliburton a two season window in which just one All-NBA appearance would make him supermax qualified.
Haliburton is playing well and focused on team success at the moment. He isn’t a lock for an All-NBA nod at all. But with just one week left in the season, a strong finish from Haliburton may help him be eligible for a huge contract in the future. And for the Pacers, the only team that would be allowed to offer said deal, recognition for their star would be significant.
