If the Chicago Bulls were able to nab 6-foot-5 point guard Killian Hayes with their first round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, it could be a great fit.
A lot of the focus for the Chicago Bulls is starting to turn to the 2020 NBA Draft. With the Bulls already essentially out of the playoff picture with more than 15 games remaining throughout the stretch run of the 2019-20 regular season, there’s no reason to overshoot expectations. The Bulls are once again able to focus on scouting out prospects early for the NBA Draft Lottery.
The fact that the Bulls could very well be picking seventh overall again in the 2020 NBA Draft is downright depressing. This would be the fourth straight year in which the Bulls would be picking seventh in the draft lottery.
The direction that the Bulls choose to go with their first round draft pick this year should reveal a lot about how they’re planning the future of this rebuild in general. In a perfect world, the Bulls starting five has at least one core piece at each position. Ideally they would be able to land a game-changing wing in the draft, but this is a thin class at the position.
Taking the best player left on the board approach is usually what works best for any team in the NBA Draft. And there’s a good chance that the Bulls will be getting another guard if they’re picking high in the lottery this year and they want to truly draft the best player left on the board.
Through and through this is a thin draft class at the top. There’s no Ja Morant or Zion Williamson that sticks out right away at the top of draft boards. That doesn’t mean someone won’t emerge as a true superstar out of this group. Teams will have to do their homework in the lottery, though.
Moreover, drafting a guard for the Bulls should be derived from a list of about two or three prospects. That list includes the 6-foot-5 French point guard Killian Hayes, 6-foot-7 NBL product LaMelo Ball, and/or Tyrese Halliburton of the Iowa State Cyclones.
If the Bulls are looking to snag a wing they could get Georgia Bulldogs shooting guard Anthony Edwards or Maccabi Tel Aviv small forward Deni Avdija.
Nonetheless, one name that really sticks out of late for the Bulls prospectively in the 2020 NBA Draft is Hayes. Few guards had as much volatillity in their draft stock since the start of the 2019-20 NBA season than Hayes. At one point, he was considered to be a late first or early second round pick in the 2020 draft. But now he is widely considered to be the caliber of an early lottery pick.
Hayes has that extremely high ceiling as a playmaker and facilitator, as well as the length to excel on the defensive end of the floor from the perimeter. At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Hayes does need to add some strength, but he has a solid frame to use his gifted physical tools to his advantage on both ends of the floor.
Playing over in the Eurocup league this season with Ratiopharm ULM, Hayes is getting a high level of competition to develop his game. With ULM this season, he’s averaging 12.8 points per game, 6.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals, while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Since Hayes is developing a good outside shot, his draft stock soared. Given the fact that he’s a playmaker and can create his own shot off the dribble, it’s easy to see how his game fits into the modern NBA. Creating your own three-point shot off the dribble is one of the most valuable tools an NBA player can have at any guard position nowadays.
What Hayes would also bring to the table for the Bulls is a dynamic playmaking guard that could fit into an interesting trio with shooting guard Zach LaVine and fellow point guard Coby White. That would be a ton of length for the Bulls to have in the backcourt.
Since we also don’t know how long LaVine will be the primary scorer for the Bulls, the clock could be ticking on his time with the rebuild. Hayes is still very young (not even 19 years old yet) and his game is still developing. The Bulls could be patient with him while they are developing Coby.