Tyrese Haliburton: 'I Thought It Was a Joke' When Agent Said Kings May Trade Me

The Sacramento Kings' decision to trade Tyrese Haliburton caught many people off guard, including Haliburton. 

Appearing on NBA Today (starts at 0:36 mark), Haliburton said he "thought it was a joke" when his agent told him the Kings might move him. 

The Kings sent Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2023 second-round pick on Feb. 8. 

The No. 12 overall pick by the Kings in 2020, Haliburton looked like a budding star during his brief time with the organization.

Haliburton was named to the All-Rookie team last season and was averaging 14.3 points and 7.4 assists per game with a 41.3 three-point percentage in 51 starts with the Kings this season prior to the trade. 

Last offseason, when the Kings were being discussed as a potential landing spot for Ben Simmons, The Athletic's Sam Amick reported they wouldn't include Haliburton or De'Aaron Fox in a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

In January, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee noted Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has been growing impatient trying to get the franchise to the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06. 

Sabonis is a proven commodity and a two-time All-Star, but he hasn't generally been regarded as a player who raises a team's ceiling. 

The Kings have gone 2-2 in four games since the trade. Their 22-38 record ranks 13th in the Western Conference, 3.5 games behind the Portland Trail Blazers for the final spot in the play-in tournament. 

Haliburton has yet to establish himself as a star who can help teams win games, but he's only 21 years old. The Iowa State alum has shown a deft shooting touch with a 41.3 three-point percentage in his career. He is averaging 20.8 points per game in four starts with the Pacers.