Tyrese Haliburton may not be one of the best floor generals in the NBA at the moment, but his habit of always putting his teammates first has improved the team dynamics. This has made every teammate to be fully involved in the game. And while this is something the Indiana Pacers’ GM, Chad Buchanan appreciates, he can’t help but wish the Pacers point guard was a bit more selfish.
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Speaking to SiriusXM NBA Radio, Buchanan initially explained how the team wanted a player who could play a faster style of basketball than what the Pacers were used to, which put Tyrese at the top of their list. Fortunately for them, they got him. The GM commented on his point guard’s playstyle and said,
“Tyrese is one of those guys, the ball moves. And the more the ball moves, the harder guys play, because they get to touch the ball, they get to feel it, they get shots… There is this sense of elevated intensity because Tyrese’s nature is to take care of others, which is very unique for a star in our league.”
Buchanan also appreciated how Tyrese geared his play toward his teammates rather than himself.
“He’s thinking of his teammates before he’s thinking of himself. There’s nights where you want him to think a bit more about himself [laughs].”
“Once we got him, immediately we changed the identity of how we played”
Pacers GM Chad Buchanan talks about Tyrese Haliburton’s impact on the organization with @TheFrankIsola and Ryan McDonough
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The Pacers GM acknowledged that as the 24-year-old player continues to evolve in the NBA, he will learn when to assert himself more aggressively in scoring. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the Pacers’ star is already an incredible player.
The Indiana Pacers made a stellar decision in acquiring the former Sacramento King, as he has proven to be everything they hoped for and beyond. Last season, the team’s offense ranked fourth in the league, trailing only the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
While Haliburton has also had the privilege of playing with great young teammates, it is undeniable that he is at the forefront of it all. When he is on the floor, every player on the team just seems to play better. And given that he, and this team, will only improve in the upcoming five years, the Pacers could soon be a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.
