The Sacramento Kings surprised many by giving up standout second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton to acquire Domantas Sabonis from the Indiana Pacers. Haliburton himself was among them, and he did not sound pleased with the situation when speaking Thursday.
Haliburton spoke after arriving in Indiana and hinted at his displeasure with how the Kings treated him. The 21-year-old admitted that he understood this was part of the business, but added that he had invested himself in Sacramento and the organization “got rid of me.”
"They ain’t want me. They went a different direction. It’s part of the business. I put a lot of love, a lot of trust in Sacramento & kinda immersed myself in the community & with the people & they got rid of me."
Tyrese Haliburton on Pacers-Kings trade 😢pic.twitter.com/kij1X4TjUU
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 10, 2022
On one hand, Haliburton does sound understanding of the reality of the NBA. This also marks the first time he’s ever been traded, which surely adds to the shock of it all.
That said, the Kings don’t have the best reputation around the NBA. They have struggled to attract free agents and develop their own stars. Haliburton was a talented young player who openly embraced the challenge of turning the organization around, and they shipped him out of town before he’d finished his second NBA season. No wonder fans — and Haliburton — would be frustrated by such a move, no matter what it brings back.
Photo: Jan 31, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
