Tyrese Haliburton can do something that has never been done in Pacers history

Since getting traded to the team in February 2022, guard Tyrese Haliburton has elevated the Indiana Pacers to a level that even the biggest fans may not have expected.

When the Pacers acquired Haliburton, they had a 19-37 record, third-worst in the Eastern Conference at the time. The following season, Haliburton's first full year with the team, they finished with a 35-47 record and earned the No. 11 seed. It still was not good enough to make an appearance in the playoffs, but it was clear something special was brewing in Indiana. This came to fruition last year.

A lot has been said of the Pacers' impressive 2023-24 season. They had a 47-35 record, their best since the 2018-19 season, they made the playoffs for the first time since 2020, and they made an Eastern Conference Finals appearance for the first time since 2014. Given that they were the No. 6 seed last season, this conference finals run was shocking to the NBA world.

Haliburton has turned this Pacers team into a title contender, and at just 24 years old, he still has plenty of room to grow. The future is bright for the Wisconsin native. He won an Olympic gold medal this year at the Paris Olympics, and leading Indiana to their first NBA championship is on his mind, but he is also in a good position to do something else that has never happened in Pacers history.

Tyrese Haliburton can win the NBA MVP award in 2025

Yes, it is a long shot, but Haliburton has made a career of exceeding expectations and proving his doubters wrong. Furthermore, it cannot be forgotten that Haliburton was the leader of the highest-scoring team of the 2023-24 campaign. He is one of the best playmakers in the league and has very few offensive flaws. Plus, he has improved as a defender (though he is no lockdown defender yet).

The Pacers landed Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors during the 2023-24 season in a blockbuster trade. However, while this was a major factor in the Pacers' successful run, most would say the Pacers are where they are now because of Haliburton and how much he has developed since becoming a member of the team.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, no Pacers player has ever won the NBA MVP award (Mel Daniels won the award twice in the ABA). If there is anybody currently on the team who can do it, Haliburton can.

In an article for Bleacher Report, Grant Hughes named the Pacers star as a dark horse to win the MVP award next year, citing NBA legend Steve Nash's MVP runs when he was the point guard of the Phoenix Suns.

"Already in possession of a record-tying two seasons with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 36.0 percent three-point shooting, Haliburton should be expected to add an unprecedented third this season," Hughes said.

"If he does so while leading an Indiana offense that could finish tops in the league—one whose dynamic transition game and singular offensive flow owes almost exclusively to Haliburton's stylistic influence—the next-gen Steve Nash parallels will only get harder to ignore."

"Nash won a pair of MVPs with the Phoenix Suns by leading a dominant offense with his efficient shooting and live-wire passing. There's no reason Haliburton can't follow the same blueprint."

It is too early to compare Haliburton to the Hall of Famer. However, following Hughes' sentiment, there is some reason to believe he can make more Pacers history as soon as next year.