Tyrese Haliburton says 65-game rule had half in his Portland return – IndyStar

If Tyrese Haliburton did not doubtlessly have $50 million on the road and a must play in at the very least 65 video games this season to get it, he in all probability would not have returned from a hamstring pressure in Portland on Jan. 19.
The Pacers All-Star level guard has urged that previously, however he was way more direct in that assertion on the Previous Man & The Three Podcast with retired NBA sharpshooter J.J. Redick. A video excerpt of Redick’s podcast was posted on Redick’s X (previously Twitter) account Wednesday with the complete episode scheduled to return out Thursday.
Haliburton posted 21 factors and 17 assists in that sport in nearly 35 minutes price of motion, however his hamstring did not react nicely and he missed the subsequent 5 video games earlier than returning Jan. 30 on a minutes restriction. He was held beneath 23 minutes in every of his first 4 video games again earlier than extending to 30, and he lastly performed 34 minutes on Monday evening towards the Hornets.
“No query,” Haliburton stated when requested by Redick if he felt a way of urgency to return.
Redick requested if the “$53 million incentive” had one thing to do with it.
“Yeah, what?” Haliburton stated. “I believed I used to be able to go for the Portland sport. So did our medical employees. Everyone agreed. But when this was by no means the case, I might need been like, ‘Give it one other sport or two. Possibly assume extra by way of this. Let’s attempt to be 100%.'”
The “$53-million incentive” is the cash that will be added to the max contract extension Haliburton signed in the summertime, which kicks in subsequent season. The particular numbers might change relying on the wage cap, the NBA permits groups to supply gamers coming off their four-year rookie contract five-year offers price as much as 25% of the wage cap. They will improve that to 30%, nevertheless, if a participant makes the All-NBA staff earlier than the contract begins taking impact. Haliburton’s contract is price an estimated $206 million if he does not make an All-NBA staff, but when he does make one of many three All-NBA groups this season it rises to round $260 million. As an All-Star starter averaging 21.9 factors and 11.7 assists per sport, Haliburton has an opportunity to be All-NBA and was in excellent place to make it earlier than straining his hamstring towards the Celtics on Jan. 8.
Earlier than this season, nevertheless, the NBA instituted a rule that requires gamers to play in at the very least 65 video games out of the season’s 82 regular-season video games to be eligible for postseason awards, together with All-NBA, the MVP award and Defensive Participant of the Yr honors. That permits a participant to overlook 17 video games. Haliburton has missed 13. It has been reported that Haliburton will get credit score for taking part in within the In-Season Event championship, which does not depend to the 82, however he is nonetheless near that margin.
Haliburton was requested about that change and referred to as it “a silly rule.” He clarified these feedback barely, understanding followers’ disaffection with the thought of load administration, however famous that gamers speeding again from damage continues to be a doubtlessly problematic byproduct. It is particularly a problem for gamers who’re dealing with contract conditions like Haliburton’s.
“I’ve simply been pissed off by it utterly,” Haliburton stated. “I perceive the place the league is coming from. On the finish of the day, I am a fan of basketball like everyone is. We would like the perfect gamers to play. However realistically, like we talked about earlier, there’s solely a few us this might damage financially. … The intent is right. I feel folks misconstrued my phrases to say, act like I do not care about followers or I do not wish to play. I wish to play 82 video games if I can. That is simply now how the cookie crumbles proper now.”
It isn’t clear precisely when the podcast was recorded, however Haliburton was nonetheless very bothered by the minutes restriction on the time.
“I’ve had a minutes restriction now for the final two weeks,” Haliburton stated. “It is modified. It is began at 20 and it is ramped up. But it surely’s been (expletive) horrible.”

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