Tyrese Haliburton might miss out on a huge honor and a hefty $40 million paycheck due to the NBA’s “Stupid” rule despite his incredible performance. According to a new rule applicable this season, a player must play for 20 minutes in at least 65 games to be eligible for All-NBA honors or win the MVP trophy. That is a massive blow for Haliburton, as he has already missed 13 games this season due to a hamstring injury.

Haliburton was fuming about possibly missing his All-NBA selection due to the new rule. “I think it’s a stupid rule, like plenty of the guys in the league, but this is what the owners want, so as players, we gotta do our job and play in 65 games if we’re able to,” he told the Athletic.

Haliburton is having a breakout season with the Indiana Pacers. At just 23 years old, Haliburton has become one of the best guards in the league. He is averaging a career-high 23.6 points and 12.6 assists and has been the league leader in assists all year. Haliburton’s performance this season also gave him his first All-Star starter nod earlier this month.

Apart from the All-NBA nod, Haliburton could also get stripped of $40 million. He is in the final year of his rookie contract and recently signed a 5-year up to $245 million contract. However, the contract’s base value is $204.5 million. To make the extra $40 million, Haliburton needs honors like All-NBA and MVP. If Haliburton wishes to be eligible for the All-NBA team, he can only miss a maximum of 4 games for the remainder of the season.

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The Pacers are doing fine without Haliburton for now

Haliburton has missed 5 consecutive games due to a lingering hamstring injury. He tried to make a comeback on January 19 against the Portland Trail Blazers but was immediately ruled out in the next game. It is still uncertain when Haliburton will return to action. However, the Pacers have found an alternate star in Haliburton’s absence. Their latest signing, Pascal Siakam, is doing wonders for the team. Siakam made his Pacers debut on January 19 and has been on fire since then. He is averaging 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists with the Pacers.

The Pacers are 3-3 with Siakam in the lineup. Tyrese and Pascal have played only one game together. The Pacers fans are hoping for Haliburton’s quick return so that they can play at their full potential. Not only will Haliburton staying healthy for the rest of the season get the Pacers more wins, but it will also increase Haliburton’s chances of making an extra $40 million.

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