Haynes played with the Globetrotters from 1947-1953. Upon leaving in 1953, he turned down a $35,000 a year offer from the Philadelphia Warriors that would have made him the second-highest paid player in the NBA. Instead, he started his own barnstorming team, the Harlem Magicians. Boxing legend Sugar Ray Robinson sometimes played games with this team. Haynes later rejoined the Globetrotters as a player/coach. He also played for the Harlem Wizards.