Chicago Bulls 2020 NBA Draft: Guards to target with a trade back
By Ryan Heckman
4. PG Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
A kid who is quickly rising up draft boards, Tyrese Haliburton has now entered the top six to eight discussion. It’s easy to see why, too. At 6-foot-5, Haliburton is a bigger point guard who gives his team an oversized perimeter defender able to guard a both back court positions. He’s a smart defender, too, which again, is something Chicago is in dire need of.
Haliburton is not just a solid defender, but he’s a great passer. He knows when to dish the rock and when to shoot it. He’s not shy to shoot it from long distance, either — Haliburton shot a blistering 42 percent from deep last season and over 50 percent from the floor in general.
One of the knocks on Haliburton, like any point guard coming from a school like Iowa State, is his lack of college competition. He isn’t coming from the ACC or even the Big Ten, but Haliburton has done enough against his level of competition to warrant a top draft pick.
The best intangible he presents is his IQ. Haliburton is a smart, efficient player. He makes the right passes. He takes the right shots. Last season, he led the Cyclones with 6.5 assists per game while playing 36.7 minutes per game. To again highlight his defensive prowess, Haliburton averaged an impressive 2.8 steals per game as well.
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Haliburton’s strengths would work well in conjunction with ball dominant guards like LaVine and White, which makes him very attractive to the Bulls. If Chicago were to trade back just a couple of spots, he’s an ideal selection.