The Indiana Pacers are trading two-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for a package that includes guard Tyrese Haliburton, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
The Pacers are including Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick in exchange for Haliburton, guard Buddy Hield and center Tristan Thompson, sources said.
The NBA trade deadline is 3 p.m. Thursday.
The Kings paid a steep price, parting with Haliburton, the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft who had been believed to be a cornerstone player for the franchise’s future. The Kings’ backcourt now revolves around point guard De’Aaron Fox and rookie Davion Mitchell.
Haliburton has averaged 14.3 points, 7.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals this season. He is tied for sixth in the league in steals per game and is 11th in assists.
The Pacers are reshaping their roster with trades of Sabonis and Caris LeVert this week, and Indiana now adds Haliburton to a revamped backcourt that includes Malcolm Brogdon and rookie Chris Duarte. The Pacers create a $6 million trade exception in the deal.
The trade will likely have a significant impact on Myles Turner‘s future with the Pacers. Now he gets to play center and appears thrilled with the idea of playing with Haliburton, sources said.
Sabonis, 25, is averaging 18.9 points, 12.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists this season. He’s had 34 double-doubles this season, trailing only Nikola Jokic (41) and Rudy Gobert (35).
Hield is third in the NBA in 3-pointers this season, trailing only Steph Curry and Fred VanVleet. Hield is owed $63 million through 2023-24 on his contract.
Since entering the NBA in 2016-17, Hield has connected on 1,337 3-pointers. Only Curry (1,472) and James Harden (1,427) have made more during that span.