Jarace Walker and Bennedict Mathurin react to Tyrese Haliburton's contract extension with Indiana Pacers
Day one of Indiana Pacers Summer League mini camp is in the books as Pacers basketball re-starts for a few weeks. But as camp begins, so does free agency, and the Pacers have been active so far.
They reportedly agreed to a deal with Bruce Brown and have agreed to a trade that will allow the team to acquire Obi Toppin. Indiana has been busy. But none of their moves are close to as important as the one that they executed just after midnight on July 1.
It was announced around that time that All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton was reportedly signing a rookie extension with the franchise, linking him to the team for over a half-decade. Having a talent like that for several years is significant for the blue and gold.
"life fire," Haliburton tweeted soon after the report.
The Pacers point guard could make as much as $260 million via the extension, depending on a few factors that will be decided in the next year. It is a near certainty that the deal will reach $200 million in value even if things don't go Haliburton's way this season.
Indiana is now tasked with building around their franchise partner, and two of the players who are vital toward that mission discussed Haliburton's reported extension on Saturday.
Rookie Jarace Walker spoke to the media after his first Summer League practice with his new team. The first-year player who was chosen eighth overall in the draft, could be the defensive forward that Indiana has been looking for in recent seasons.
On offense, Walker's life will be easier because he will be playing with an elite setup man in Haliburton. "It's awesome. It's really good for him, what he's been able to do while he's here," Walker said of Haliburton's reported extension. "I'm definitely happy for him," he added, noting that he's happy for himself as well. Walker is excited about playing with an exceptional talent early in his career.
Bennedict Mathurin, another key part of the Pacers next steps, also spoke to the media on Saturday. He is playing in Summer League for the second-straight year, and he should be the best player on Indiana's roster in Las Vegas.
Mathurin and Haliburton developed great chemistry last season. They have unique, different personalities, but their games mesh well. The Pacers had a +1.0 net rating with both young guards on the court in 2022-23.
"It was great, man. I told him I like Rolex," Mathurin joked when sharing his reaction to the Haliburton extension news. "I'm really happy, man. Ty's been working really hard and he's been a leader since I met him. Obviously, I want to keep it that way and obviously we have pretty good players coming into the team this season.
"We're trying to make the playoffs next year, and Ty's the head of the snake. I'm really happy for him," Mathurin added. He averaged 16.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game as a rookie.
Haliburton will be the face of the Pacers franchise going forward. He sets the team's identity and makes his teammates better, which is exactly what the best point guards do. It was an easy decision for Indiana to keep him under contract for as long as possible, and the reactions of Haliburton's teammates reflect that.
Haliburton cannot officially sign any extension until the moratorium period ends on July 6. At that point, many of Indiana's reported offseason moves can become official and the team can come into focus. In the meantime, Summer League and finalizing the roster are the keys for the blue and gold.
- Source: Indiana Pacers sign Bruce Brown to two-year contract in NBA Free Agency. CLICK HERE.
- Report: Tyrese Haliburton to sign five-year, $260 million contract extension with the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE.
- Jarace Walker's high school program director breaks down the Pacers' lottery pick's growth. CLICK HERE.
- Report: Indiana Pacers wing Chris Duarte traded to Sacramento Kings. CLICK HERE.
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