Moderators: Jamaaliver, dms269, HMFFL
graymule wrote::D
Please. Make Tyrese Haliburton a Hawk. I've saw him ranked as #8 or #9 and then he came down to #3. Someone else apparently likes him too. We all dream of getting #1 and drafting that home town boy. Odds are, we don't get him. That leaves my favorite pick for the Hawks. What's not to like? Atlanta needs a really good back up for Trae and Tyrese checks all the boxes!!
Probably will not happen, but let me dream a little while longer...
6. Atlanta Hawks -- Tyrese Haliburton
6-5 guard | 20 years old, sophomore | Iowa State
This works out fine for the Hawks, who can fill a few different needs by selecting Haliburton. The former Iowa State guard is terrific at playing both on and off ball, as he showed over the course of his career. As a freshman, he played a role off the ball next to guys like Talen Horton-Tucker and Marial Shayok. Then this year, he took over as the lead guard and was terrific statistically, averaging 15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists. This fills two legitimate needs for the Hawks. First and foremost, they desperately need a long-term answer as a backup point guard next to Young. Haliburton can handle that role, something that significantly hindered the Hawks last year if you look at Young’s on/off numbers. Second, Haliburton would absolutely excel at playing with Young. He’s a terrific shooter off the catch, having hit 41.9 percent of his 3s this season. Defensively, he’s somewhat weak on-ball, but he’s a monstrous team defender who constantly lives in passing lanes and is exceptionally reactionary to what happens around him. That ability to play as a secondary ballhandler would help the uptempo play of the Hawks, while also allowing Young to move off the ball at times.
The weakness here is that I don’t think Haliburton is a starting caliber lead guard. Rather, he’s going to be more of a role player who really helps you win games due to his rapid decision-making, shooting off the catch, and team defense, but a role player nonetheless. Particularly, Haliburton struggles a bit as a shooter off the bounce, and has a tendency on pick-and-roll plays and drives to jump when passing and leave himself with little room for error. In college, it worked because he was bigger than everyone guarding him. But in the NBA, it’ll fly less often because of the length on the court. Still, his feel for the game is so high that I think Haliburton is worthy of a top-10 pick.
The AthleticChris Kirchner wrote:Atlanta: Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State
The feedback I’ve received from those I trust who have a wealth of knowledge about the draft rave about Haliburton as a player and person. I haven’t heard one negative regarding Haliburton as a player. There are normally the standard effort and buy-in concerns with several prospects, but I haven’t heard one singular concern regarding Haliburton.
Of the point guards in this draft, Haliburton makes the most sense for the Hawks because of his ability to play off the ball, knock down spot-up shots and be a secondary playmaker. He shot 42 percent from 3-point range this season on 5.6 attempts per game and scored 1.43 points per possession in spot-up attempts, which ranked him in the 99th percentile.
With Atlanta needing to shore up its backup point guard spot, Haliburton would be an excellent option, especially if Jeff Teague isn’t re-signed.
Bleacher ReportPro Player Comparisons for Projected Lottery Picks
Tyrese Haliburton: Lonzo Ball
Passing IQ separates Tyrese Haliburton, who possesses similar size (6'5", 175 lbs) and athletic limitations as Lonzo Ball (6'6", 190 lbs).
They both also happen to share unorthodox shooting mechanics, which hinder their pull-up jumpers. But Haliburton and Ball are valued on the floor for their ability to move the rock and find teammates. Their special playmaking vision and skill are optimized by having more threatening scorers and shot-makers around them.
Given their limited blow-by burst, they ideally serve as secondary ball-handlers next to faster point guards. Ball has looked more effective playing with Jrue Holiday. Haliburton, who shot 49.3 percent on catch-and-shoot jumpers, should similarly play minutes at the 2.
Like Ball's, Haliburton's assist numbers and impact will ultimately outshine his scoring average.'
The AthleticWhy Tyrese Haliburton could be the pick at No. 6 for Hawks
Haliburton is an intriguing option for the Hawks because of his ability to shoot and create plays and his length (6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-7 1/2 wingspan) as a combo guard. In back-to-back years at Iowa State, Haliburton shot better than 40 percent from 3, showed he is a creative passer with the ability to find rollers and shooters using all angles and proved to be a good team defender. This past season, Haliburton posted a 3.8 percent steal rate and a block rate of 2 percent — two excellent numbers for a guard.
Because the Hawks have Trae Young, Haliburton wouldn’t be the engine of this team, which should allow him to thrive in his likely best role in the NBA — a secondary option with the ability to be the lead guard when the primary initiator sits.
Haliburton is elite in catch-and-shoot attempts, scoring 1.49 points per possessions. His mechanics likely will be tweaked some in the NBA, but he should enter the league commanding respect as a 3-point shooter.An area where there should be more concern for the Hawks is on defense. He’s very smart defensively...but he has such a small frame that I’d worry a bit with the defensive fit next to Young. He’s thin, and that showed itself in man-to-man situations. But because of his basketball IQ, he has an incredible ability to make up ground if someone gets by him.Spoiler:
...from talking with NBA evaluators and those inside college basketball who’ve come into contact with Haliburton, there hasn’t been one negative remark about his character. The feedback has been exceedingly glowing.
Bleacher ReportBest Landing Spot for Each Projected 2020 NBA Lottery Pick
Tyrese Haliburton (Iowa State, PG/SG, Sophomore)
Draft range: Nos. 4-8
Best landing spot: Atlanta Hawks
Ideally, Tyrese Haliburton will walk into a starting position—but not as the lead point guard. He lacks explosiveness for blowing by defenders and the shot mechanics to launch off the dribble. Instead, Haliburton would be better off working as a secondary playmaker alongside a more dangerous creator.
Playing next to Trae Young could help mask Haliburton's struggles beating defenders and attacking. But he'd also be a big help to Young, who carries an enormous workload for the Atlanta Hawks offense. Haliburton would relieve pressure and give the backcourt another elite passer in transition and off ball screens.
Equipped to play off the ball as well, Haliburton ranked in the 99th percentile on spot-ups after shooting 49.3 percent on catch-and-shoot chances, per Synergy Sports.
The Hawks have plenty of talented players who could be optimized by Haliburton's versatility, IQ and ability to space the floor.
The AthleticSam Vecenie wrote:Mock Draft 7.1: A mini update based on what I’m hearing
6. Atlanta Hawks
Tyrese Haliburton | 6-5 guard | 20 years old, sophomore | Iowa State
This one actually doesn’t change from the most recent mock. What I said then still stands. “This fills two legitimate needs for the Hawks. First and foremost, they desperately need a long-term answer as a backup point guard next to Young. Haliburton can handle that role, something that significantly hindered the Hawks last year if you look at Young’s on/off numbers. Second, Haliburton would absolutely excel at playing with Young. He’s a terrific shooter off the catch, having hit 41.9 percent of his 3s this season. Defensively, he’s somewhat weak on-ball, but he’s a monstrous team defender who constantly lives in passing lanes and is exceptionally reactionary to what happens around him.”
Jamaaliver wrote:I have D Vassell higher on my personal board, but it's difficult to deny an ideal fit between us and Ty.The AthleticSam Vecenie wrote:Mock Draft 7.1: A mini update based on what I’m hearing
6. Atlanta Hawks
Tyrese Haliburton | 6-5 guard | 20 years old, sophomore | Iowa State
This one actually doesn’t change from the most recent mock. What I said then still stands. “This fills two legitimate needs for the Hawks. First and foremost, they desperately need a long-term answer as a backup point guard next to Young. Haliburton can handle that role, something that significantly hindered the Hawks last year if you look at Young’s on/off numbers. Second, Haliburton would absolutely excel at playing with Young. He’s a terrific shooter off the catch, having hit 41.9 percent of his 3s this season. Defensively, he’s somewhat weak on-ball, but he’s a monstrous team defender who constantly lives in passing lanes and is exceptionally reactionary to what happens around him.”
SI.com2020 NBA Draft Big Board: Latest Top 80 Rankings
4. Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State | Sophomore
Height: 6' 5" | Weight: 175 | Age: 20 | Previous Rank: 4
Although nearly everything about Haliburton’s game is unorthodox, his advanced on-court intellect, winning-conducive skill set and rapid trajectory are noteworthy, and they set him apart in some regard in a lottery where the talent gap between prospects is admittedly narrow. It’s easy to harp on the holes in his game—arduous shooting mechanics, unremarkable explosiveness, and a still-developing handle that could keep him from being a full-time point guard—but there’s a chance that those weaknesses are effectively masked by his savant-like approach to greasing the wheels of an offense. Haliburton doesn’t actually need to be a full-time point guard to wind up as one of the best players in this draft, and at worst, he profiles as a highly usable bench piece on a winning team. His real value lies in what his presence does for everyone else on his team, as a ball-moving facilitator who hits open threes and can augment any lineup.
