DRAFT: #18 [Green] & #31 [Terry] & trade for #36 [Tyler Bey]

[ItsGoTime]

Haliburton

In a draft full of uncertain prospects, Iowa State’s [b]Tyrese Haliburton[/b] may be the safest pick, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Haliburton offers good size for a point guard at 6’5″ with a 6’9″ wingspan. He’s also an elite passer, an effective shooter and has natural leadership qualities.


[i]“I’ve had a lot of No. 1, No. 2 picks, and this guy is a difference maker,”[/i] said Joe Abunassar, who trained Haliburton at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas after the season was shut down.[i] “As teams look at him, part of that is his approach, his mentality, his personality. Everyone steps up their game when he steps in the game. He’s the most humble guy. I know with him, what you’re getting is a guy that’s going to win games for your franchise.”[/i]

Abunasser said Haliburton has gotten stronger since the college basketball season ended, adding roughly 15 to 18 pounds to his frame. With so many lottery teams needing a point guard, he could go higher than projected on draft night.

[i]“He’s a winner. He has an amazing personality,” [/i]Abunassar added.[i] “He’s contagious. He’s something that if I was a GM, I’d say we need guys like that.”[/i]

So Haliburton is there at 8, we pull the trigger and then we pretty desperately need to trade off some of our dearth of guards. Brunson and Wright would probably be the casualties of this type of move. What could Brunson and Wright net us?