But by the time 2022 came, when then-general manager Monte McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox were looking for ways to turn their middling team into a playoff contender, Fox’s market value had plummeted to the point where Haliburton became the focal point of their rebuilding efforts. League sources say the Kings explored trades involving Fox, who had recently signed a five-year, $160 million deal, but simply didn’t find a suitable return. The discussions with the Pacers, league sources say, were two-pronged but quickly turned from Fox to Haliburton when it was clear that was the only real avenue to a deal. In turn, with first-year Indiana coach Rick Carlisle on the lookout for a point guard who could push the pace and help them return to contention, the Pacers sent All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick to the Kings in exchange for Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson.