The Sacramento Kings thought they upgraded their roster when they traded Tyrese Haliburton to the Pacers in 2022 for a package centered around Domantas Sabonis. The De'Aaron Fox-Sabonis pairing was supposed to push the Kings forward, and it did at first, but not since then.
Fox is no longer in Sacramento after he was traded to San Antonio a few months ago. Since ending their playoff drought in 2023, the Kings have failed to reach the postseason again, not counting the Play-In Tournament.
Sacramento hit a reset button midway through the 2024-25 season by firing Mike Brown. Doug Christie became the interim coach, and the Kings removed that tag after the season ended in the Play-In. Months after telling Brown that he was fired, Monte McNair was also let go and replaced by Scott Perry.
The organization is in a period of transition and limbo. Meanwhile, Haliburton has vaulted Indiana up the ranks. He led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024, where the Celtics eliminated them. Indiana stormed back to the ECF this year with series wins over Milwaukee and Cleveland. The Pacers are entered the ECF as underdogs against the Knicks, but have a 1-0 series lead after an unbelievable Game 1 comeback win.
Kings fans wish Tyrese Haliburton was still in Sacramento
In Haliburton's first full season in Indiana, he made the All-Star team as a reserve. He did the same in 2024 after averaging a career-high 20.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. His numbers dipped a little in 2024-25, and he didn't pick up his third consecutive All-Star honor, but the Pacers are three wins away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. They wouldn't be in their current position without their 25-year-old star, who isn't technically in his prime yet.
Haliburton posted 31 points, 11 assists, four rebounds, and one steal in Wednesday's win, including the game-tying shot that hit the back of the rim, bounced in the air, and swished through the net.
There isn't another player you want to have the ball in their hands when the game is on the line. He has the clutch gene.
Nobody thought Indiana would be one of the last two teams standing in the East, but the Pacers look more like a team of destiny with each win. Haliburton doesn't look so overrated after all, does he? The Kings underrated his ceiling. He isn't going away anytime, either. If only it were possible to go back in time and keep Haliburton in Sacramento.