Initially, the shocking deal that sent Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Domantas Sabonis looked like a win-win. Haliburton looked great running the show, but Sabonis also looked great, and led the Sacramento Kings to their first postseason appearance in over a decade. Fast forward a couple of years, and the Pacers look like clear winners. They just won the deal once again after punching their ticket to the NBA Finals.
It felt as if the deal was officially won last season by Indiana when Haliburton led the Pacers to an unlikely Eastern Conference Finals berth. Not only did Haliburton impress on the biggest of stages, but he averaged 20.1 points and led the NBA with 10.9 assists per game in the regular season. He was an All-Star and made the All-NBA Third Team.
Haliburton becoming one of the best regular season point guards in the NBA, combined with his now-proven ability to be the best player on a Finals team, makes the fact that the Pacers won the deal that much clearer.
Tyrese Haliburton trade looks better by the day for the Pacers
This isn't a slight to Sabonis at all. In fact, since the trade, Sabonis, an already great player, has only gotten better. He's led the league in rebounding in three straight years, has received MVP votes twice, and has been an All-NBA Third Team member twice. He has solidified himself as one of the best centers in the NBA, and again, was able to lead the Kings to the playoffs.
However, Sacramento's trajectory is only going in the wrong direction. They went 40-42 and were merely a Play-In team despite another excellent season from Sabonis. Things have gone so south in Sacramento, in fact, to the point where the team trading Sabonis this offseason and entering a full-blown rebuild probably can't be ruled out.
Sabonis is a great player, but Haliburton might be better individually, and ultimately, team success matters. Sabonis hasn't won a playoff series with Sacramento. Haliburton will be playing in the NBA Finals in a matter of days. There are levels to this.
Tyrese Haliburton trade victory might get even bigger for the Pacers
The trade is already a win for Indiana, but the story is far from over. Not only is he four wins away from an NBA Championship, but it's not as if he's leaving the Pacers anytime soon.
At just 25 years old, are we sure Haliburton has even reached his peak? He's one of the best point guards in the world, but who is to say he doesn't have another level he can reach? With a little more desire to score, perhaps the incredibly efficient Haliburton can score more than he has.
Even if the Pacers don't win it all this time around, Haliburton should only continue to improve, and the Pacers should get several chances to finish the job. Again, on the flip side, the Kings are a mess, and Sabonis is 29 years old.
The Pacers got the younger, better player with more postseason success. Sabonis is great - there's no disputing that - but Haliburton is special. The Pacers have already won the deal, and they have ample time to widen their margin of victory even further.