Chicago Bulls hold draft workout with Iowa State PG Tyrese Haliburton

Former Iowa State two-way star point guard Tyrese Haliburton has reportedly worked out for the Chicago Bulls recently ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft.

News that was anticipated to fall ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft did for the Chicago Bulls on the afternoon of Nov. 11. Just one week ahead of night of the 2020 NBA Draft, the Bulls had the news announced that they were one of multiple teams to hold a workout throughout the scouting process with the former Iowa State Cyclones star sophomore point guard Tyrese Haliburton.

If the Bulls do want to address a positional need at point guard again in the 2020 draft lottery, then targeting the 6-foot-5 and 175 pound Haliburton does make sense. The high likelihood that the Bulls don’t have a chance to snag the former Illawarra Hawks 6-foot-7 19-year-old NBL point guard LaMelo Ball in the four slot means that they could then turn to the likes of Haliburton and French point guard Killian Hayes next.

Haliburton and Hayes would be likely the next two best point guards left on the board if they can’t get LaMelo fourth overall, or they don’t trade up in the lottery. It’s very likely that the top three prospects off the board in the 2020 draft lottery are center James Wiseman, shooting guard Anthony Edwards, and Ball.

Moreover, Haliburton reportedly worked out for not only the Bulls recently, but also the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, and Detroit Pistons. The Timberwolves hold the top pick in this draft, the Warriors draft second, and the Pistons are seventh.

In all likelihood, Haliburton is going to be picked around the middle of the lottery. He could realistically be drafted as high as the Bulls at No. 4, or as late as a team like the Phoenix Suns at 10 or the San Antonio Spurs at 11.

During the shortened 2019-20 regular season with Iowa State, Haliburton played in 22 games. His sophomore campaign was shortened even before the season was cut short in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, as he suffered an upper-body injury in the midst of Big 12 play.

He averaged 15.2 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks. And Haliburton shot 50.4 percent from the field, 41.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 82.2 percent from the free-throw line.

Last year, the Bulls picked the former North Carolina Tar Heels point guard Coby White seventh overall in the draft and former Arkansas Razorbacks center Daniel Gafford 38th overall. This year, they hold the fourth pick in the draft lottery and the original Memphis Grizzlies 44th pick in the second round.