Watch - Travis Kelce pulls up to the club to celebrate with Tyrese Haliburton and Georges Niang

Tyrese Haliburton and Georges Niang got their respective bags hours after the 2023 NBA free agency started. The Indiana Pacers gave Haliburton the biggest contract in franchise history while Niang agreed to a lucrative deal with his new team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

While the two were celebrating inside a bar, a surprise greeted and toasted them:

Kansas City Chiefs superstar Travis Kelce is one of the best-paid tight ends in the NFL. He signed a four-year $57.2 million contract for the Chiefs in 2020. Given the team’s success, that deal looks like a bargain.

The Indiana Pacers have made Tyrese Haliburton the face of the franchise. Haliburton’s deal is $205.9 million for five years. It could be worth $260 million if he performs at a certain level and gets the bonuses.

Before the staggering contract with the Pacers, Haliburton signed a four-year $17.8 million deal with the Sacramento Kings. He was traded to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis during the 2021-22 season. From being De’Aaron Fox’s sidekick, Haliburton has become the Pacers’ cornerstone.

Haliburton was so stoked by the new contract that he couldn't resist posting this:

Georges Niang, on the other hand, signed a three-year $26 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before playing for the Cavs, the Philadelphia 76ers gave him a two-year $6.7 million deal in 2021. After stops in Indiana, twice in Utah, Golden State and Philly, Niang has received a contract twice bigger than his past deals put together.

The Pacers and the Cavs are confident they will not regret giving that kind of money to Tyrese Haliburton and Georges Niang, respectively. Haliburton is expected to even improve his All-Star level play while Niang should add depth and shooting to Cleveland.

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Tyrese Haliburton and Georges Niang could meet in the playoffs

Tyrese Haliburton made the Indiana Pacers one of the biggest surprises in the NBA last season. The All-Star point guard elevated the play of Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Bennedict Mathurin and a few more of his teammates

The Pacers were pushing for at least a spot in the play-in until ankle and elbow injuries to Haliburton torpedoed the team’s chances.

Next season, they will return their core and add lottery pick Jarace Walker to the lineup. With Tyrese Haliburton leading them the Indiana Pacers could return to the playoffs.

Georges Niang’s role with the Cleveland Cavaliers is to bring spark and shooting off the bench. Cleveland is stacked but was upset in the playoffs by the New York Knicks. Niang is a veteran presence that’s expected to help the Cavaliers go deeper in the playoffs next year.

Haliburton and Niang celebrated getting the bag. They could be facing each other in next year’s playoffs.

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