Rip City Project
Fansided

2020 NBA Mock Draft: All 14 NBA teams in the lottery

By Stevie Cozens

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 12: Lamelo Ball of the Hawks stands during a timeout during the round 15 NBL match between the Illawarra Hawks and the South East Melbourne Phoenix at WIN Entertainment Centre on January 12, 2020 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Brent Lewin/Getty Images)
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 12: Lamelo Ball of the Hawks stands during a timeout during the round 15 NBL match between the Illawarra Hawks and the South East Melbourne Phoenix at WIN Entertainment Centre on January 12, 2020 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Brent Lewin/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 15
Next
2019 NBA Draft
Tyrese Haliburton Iowa State Cyclones 2019 NBA Draft (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Tyrese Haliburton. player. . Iowa State Cyclones. Point Guard. 7. 27.

It seems weird to suggest the New York Knicks should draft a point guard when they have three of them on the roster while also playing RJ Barett and Allonzo Trier at the point for extended periods of time.

Sadly, for the players, not the franchise, Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr may need to go elsewhere to resurrect their careers.

For now, the Knicks need a proper point guard. Someone who can break down the defense and who fits the timeline of their only two other building blocks, Mitchell Robinson and Barrett.

Though they have some other young players on the team, they have been rebuilding for a while now and need to implement a clear direction for the franchise.

With the mocked seventh pick they should select Tyrese Haliburton out of Iowa State.

Haliburton is a six-foot-five second year point guard. The Knicks just need some consistency at this position. Drafting someone and then sticking with them and giving them meaningful minutes should be the plan.

In Haliburton they will get someone with a well-rounded game on both ends who can maybe take this team out of the lottery in the future.

He has a slight frame at 175 pounds, but he has big levers. A seven-foot-wingspan and then long legs that give him big strides in the open court. He has great positional size.

Haliburton’s offensive game is already strong. He is a 42.6 percent career shooter from three, on a good sample of 4.2 attempts a game. He is also very efficient from two-point-range at 62.1 percent. He has a quick release and doesn’t mind playing off ball and spotting up.

He is a great passer who is adept in both the pick and roll and the open court, he is great at finding big men diving to the cup and isn’t rushed when making decisions.

As a finisher at the rim he has a nice array of moves, but his small frame means he can’t finish through contact well.

Haliburton is a good defender with strong instincts. He projects as a good team defender but needs to work on his fundamentals so he can defend the point of attack better.

If he is able to put on weight then he could potentially guard multiple positions because of his length.

Haliburton would likely add value to the Knicks right away. Bring him in!!