Detroit Pistons seem to rub 2 Indiana Pacers the wrong way. Let's hope it spices things up

The Detroit Pistons begin their post-All-Star portion of the season tonight in Indiana, the home of Bennedict Mathurin, and the former home of Jaden Ivey. Well, Indiana is, not Indianapolis — Ivey grew up in Mishawaka, a couple of hours northwest, next to South Bend.

He also played at Purdue, and that makes him an Indiana fellow, too. So, when he returned to his home state last weekend to play in the Rising Stars game, and Mathurin, who plays for the Pacers, and who was selected one spot after Ivey in the 2022 draft, leaned into Ivey’s ear and said: “Even in the Rising Stars game, you can’t guard me,” Ivey had to feel some type of way.

At first, Ivey smiled.

Then said: “What?”

Mathurin doubled down:

“I said, even in the Rising Stars game, you can’t guard me.”

Ivey’s smile disappeared. A couple of plays later, Mathurin buried a 3-pointer in Ivey’s face, and talked some more.

“This is great,” one of the television broadcasters said.

“Spicy,” said another.

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If nothing else, it wasn’t boring, like so much of the rest of All-Star weekend, but then that’s another story. For the regular season at least, the NBA needs all the spice it can get, and you can bet Ivey will be thinking about those words when he takes the court tonight.

Though his won’t be the only storyline to watch. Another Indiana Pacer had some words about the Pistons, too, though they weren’t unsolicited in the heat of the moment. They were, shall we way, more considered, and a reminder of a tale that won’t go away, not anytime soon anyway.

They came from Tyrese Haliburton. Yes, that Tyrese Haliburton. The point guard who was hoping he’d be a Piston when he entered the draft in 2020.

Haliburton was interviewed during the run-up to the All-Star Game. He was a starter for the Eastern Conference and is one of the best young guards in the league.

He considered himself the best point guard in the draft, and while the Charlotte Hornets took LaMelo Ball at No. 3, he at least understood their reasoning: Ball is a player.

He figured he’d be the next point guard to go. And when the Pistons were on the clock at No. 7, and didn’t take him, he thought:

"'What is this, they're not picking me?' And then it flashed up (on the television screen): Killian Hayes. And I was like, 'What!?' In that moment, I was frustrated, but I knew the Kings were my floor.”

But?

In the moment?

“I was just angry. I was like, 'What do you mean? They need a point guard and they're not picking me?' So that one definitely felt the most personal."

To recap: We’ve got Mathurin, who thought he was better than Ivey, getting passed over by the Pistons, and we’ve got Haliburton, who thought he was better than just about everybody else in the draft — and most certainly thought he was better than Hayes — getting passed over by the Pistons.

Did someone say spice?

Troy Weaver recently said he liked Hayes' physicality and potential for defense. He hoped the skill would come. Here's hoping he chooses skill next time — yes, there will almost certainly be a next time.

Now, to be fair to the Pistons’ general manager, he wasn’t the only one who passed on Haliburton. Eleven other teams did, and the only one that can justify it is Minnesota. The Timberwolves selected Anthony Edwards at No. 1. That has worked out.

But Golden State, who had the No. 2 pick and selected James Wiseman? After they’d loved Haliburton in their private workouts? They could’ve used him.

So, too, could the Bulls, the Cavaliers, the Hawks, the Knicks, the Wizards, the Suns and the Spurs. Atlanta, for what it’s worth, told Haliburton they already had their point guard of the future, and whether you think Trae Young will be the better player five years from now, at least the Hawks made a run to the Eastern Conference finals two years ago.

Still, it’s never a good idea to pass up talent based on position. The Kings already had De’Aaron Fox when they took Haliburton. And when they realized both players needed the ball to reach their potential, they shipped Haliburton to the Pacers for Domantas Sabonis, a big man who helped push them to the playoffs last year.

Again, time will tell if Sacramento made the right move, but at least it’s a tossup. As for taking Hayes over Haliburton?

That’ll sting every time Haliburton gets asked about it. Kinda like taking Darko Milicic over Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony ... and Chris Bosh, back in 2003. The Pistons won a title soon after, though, and made a half-decade long run to the conference finals despite drafting Milicic. That softened the blow.

OOPS! Troy Weaver explains why Pistons released his first draft pick, Killian Hayes

Haliburton slipped because of his shooting form, and because scouts — which is to say general managers — worried about his position. Was he actually a point guard? Or a combo guard? And would his shot translate?

There was little consensus on him. Shoot, one of the best organizations in the league the last quarter-century had a chance to take him at No. 11 and passed. Turns out the Spurs make mistakes, too.

It’s easy to go back and “redraft” in the NBA. Every year, players slide down who should not have. Devin Booker? Donovan Mitchell? How about Kawhi Leonard?

Or another player from the 2020 draft who shares Haliburton’s first name: Tyrese Maxey?

He was taken 21st, and may end up better than Haliburton, as he's currently an All-Star guard in Philly. Should Weaver take heat for passing on him?

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Look, it’s tougher with Haliburton because there were those who wanted him in Detroit, and he wanted to be in Detroit. And when he is asked what team passing on him burns him the most and it’s your Pistons?

Yeah, it stings, and it will as long as the losing continues.

Until this changes, there is at least some animus between the Pistons and the Pacers, and it could make their games a little more interesting, or spicy, if you prefer. And we could all use a little more of that.

Contact Shawn Windsor: 313-222-6487 or swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him @shawnwindsor.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons rub Tyrese Haliburton the wrong way. Thank goodness