NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Is anyone’s ceiling higher than Anthony Edwards?

The Portland Trail Blazers are loaded in the backcourt but they would likely be thrilled if Haliburton was still on the board at No. 14. In our last mock draft, Haliburton went No. 3 to the Golden State Warriors and all of the things about his unconventional game that would make him appealing to the Warriors would work in Portland’s favor as well.

He’s a 6-foot-5 primary ball-handler with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, who averaged 16.6 points, 7.0 assists and 6.4 rebounds per game for Iowa State this season, with steal and block percentages of 3.8 and 2.0, respectively. Haliburton has strange shooting mechanics but has now made 42.6 percent of his 237 3-point attempts across two college seasons, which implies he should at least hold up as a spot-up threat. He’s one of the most creative passers in this class and, as the steal and block percentages imply, a versatile and disruptive defender. His size and skill imply that he could defend some wings and be on the court with Damian Lillard and McCollum, giving Portland three high-level shooters and creators.

He may not be a future star but Haliburton has everything he needs, skill-wise, to be high-level connective tissue on a very good team.