NBA Draft 2020: Best/worst fits for this year’s consensus lottery picks
By Trevor Marks
Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State
Best: Atlanta Hawks (6), San Antonio (11)
Thinking up a “best” fit for Tyrese Haliburton is difficult because there is so much room for error if teams view him incorrectly. He’s not one to create off the bounce as a driver or pull-up shooter, due to handling limitations and underwhelming burst/strength, meaning he’s better of filling in the Lonzo Ball role as a point guard in transition and a complementary spot-up player in the halfcourt.
Atlanta is one of the only teams who could deploy him in such a role next to Trae Young, where he could shoot off the catch and keep the offense flowing with his connective passing, but building a team around two weak on-ball defenders isn’t ideal at all, and it’s questionable whether Haliburton is worth a top-10 selection if he’s only a complementary role player.
He’s reportedly worked out for Chicago, Detroit, Golden State, and Minnesota thus far, and while he’d be an OK fit with the latter two teams from an offensive standpoint, they could do better with their picks at the top of the draft. If he slides out of the top 10 and is on the board for San Antonio, he’d be surrounded by other athletic guards who could take over point-of-attack duties, so that’s a solid destination, too.
Worst: Detroit Pistons (7), New York Knicks (8)
Haliburton is a wonderful passer, an artist with the basketball, and is a pure genius out on the court, but he just isn’t a point guard and shouldn’t be drafted by any of the lottery teams hoping to add a true on-ball creator with their picks.
Both the Pistons and Knicks are looking for genuine creators in the backcourt, with both teams lacking in terms of guard creation and overall star upside. Luke Kennard and Bruce Brown are solid rotation players, but they may not be long for Detroit. RJ Barrett should be a good secondary long-term, but he’s not the guy. There will be real temptation to select Haliburton, but he would be in danger of being severely miscast on both teams.