(670 The Score) As the NBA Draft looms next Wednesday, the Bulls have had recent conversations with a pair of prospects expected to be available at No. 4 overall should Chicago remain in that spot.
The Bulls have worked out Iowa State combo guard Tyrese Haliburton and interviewed Auburn wing Isaac Okoro, the two players said about their respective situations in Zoom media calls Wednesday. Both are projected to be top-10 picks, and in a draft in which there’s plenty of fluctuating opinions outside of the top three prospects, each has a case to go as high as No. 4.
While some talent evaluators view this as a weaker draft class with point guard LaMelo Ball, big man James Wiseman and wing Anthony Edwards leading the way and then a noticeable drop-off, Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has expressed great enthusiasm about the slot the organization sits in as he prepares to make his first big draft decision with his new franchise.
The Bulls have also kept an open mind about facilitating a trade out of the No. 4 slot. They've been among the handful of teams to inquire with the Timberwolves about the No. 1 pick, ESPN reported earlier this week. A move to that spot would presumably be to select Ball, the 6-foot-7 passing wizard whom many expect to go No. 1 overall regardless of which team ends up selecting there. The Bulls are in dire need of a true point guard, as many of their offensive struggles in recent seasons can be traced to the lack of an offensive initiator who creates for others. It’s a position the Bulls haven’t come close to solving since trading Derrick Rose to the Knicks in summer 2016.
If the Bulls stay at No. 4 or trade back a few spots, Haliburton could be a strong fit next to guard Coby White. The 6-foot-5 Haliburton is an adept passer with good size and shot 42.6% from 3-point range on fairly high volume in his two college seasons. While he still has to mature defensively, talent evaluators believe he has the physical traits, IQ and makeup to blossom into a strong presence on that end. That would be key, because White is best deployed defensively on the opponent’s less dangerous perimeter player.
Haliburton, 20, doesn’t project as a prolific off-the-bounce creator. For the Bulls, that might be just fine, because they seem to view White as more of a shooting guard than a traditional point guard – but they’ll still want the ball in his hands plenty.
Haliburton – who averaged 15.2 points and 6.5 assists as a sophomore at Iowa State – expressed an understanding of that. His interview with the Bulls "flowed like a conversation, "he said.
“I think I fit well in Chicago with two guards in Coby and Zach (LaVine) that can score at a high level,” Haliburton said. “I can come in right away and be somebody that can take the burden off them and facilitate. But also with them wanting the ball in their hands at the same time, I can be a guy that plays off the ball and knocks down shots. So whatever is needed in Chicago or any organization for that matter, I’m ready to do.”
Haliburton has also worked out for the Timberwolves (No. 1 pick), Warriors (No. 2) and Pistons (No. 7).
Okoro, 19, is a 6-foot-6 wing who averaged 12.9 points and 4.4 rebounds at Auburn last season. He’s projected to be an elite defender who can guard multiple positions, a key in the modern NBA, and he has been highly praised for his intensity and motor. Talent evaluators also like his ability to attack the rim.
Okoro has worked out for the Timberwolves (No. 1), Warriors (No. 2) and the Cavaliers (No. 5), he said. He also interviewed with the Bulls (No. 4), Hawks (No. 6), Knicks (No. 8), Wizards (No. 9) Suns (No. 10) and Spurs (No. 11).
“I feel like I could fit in with the Bulls just by bringing a winning culture that I have and also just coming in and being a two-way player, stopping the other team’s best player and also going on the offensive end and contributing,” Okoro said. “I feel what separates me from everybody else in this draft is just my will to win, my will to do anything to help the team win, coming in and just playing my role and being a defensive player.”
The biggest question mark about Okoro is his shooting. He shot 28.6% on 3-pointers and 67.2% on free throws last season.
He graded his jump shot as a C+ at Auburn but believes it has improved to the B+ range bordering on an A now, as that has been a focus for him in the pre-draft process.
“I’ve been working every day, putting up a lot of shots,” Okoro said.
“Learning how to get the ball higher. During the college season, I shot a lot of flat balls. But I’m just learning now to shoot it high and get a higher arc on it.”
Note: Edwards hasn’t had any contact with the Bulls, he said. That signals that he’s a safe bet to go in the top three, as most project.
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.