Editor’s note: Over the next five weeks, the Iowa State Daily sports editors will be doing a series on why every team that has a top 10 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft makes sense for Tyrese Haliburton and why he would want to play with them.

On paper, this is where the 2020 NBA Draft shouldn’t have too many surprises.

In a draft some consider to be one of the weakest in recent memory, the top-three projected players have not changed since the draft first came into discussion earlier this year. 

Those three, in whatever order you like, are LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards.

So with the Hornets sitting, for now, with a top-three pick, many would think they’ll stay put and pick whichever of three big names is still on the board.

Tyrese Haliburton might say otherwise. 

Why the Hornets want Tyrese

There’s a reason the Hornets have had a pick in the top 10 in the NBA Draft over the last six years. For the sake of this article, the answer is a lack of superstar play and a lack of young talent that has developed.

The Hornets are in need of a star, someone who can make plays, make his teammates better and score in multiple ways to give the franchise a tangible building block for the future.

Now, someone might say the top-three big names on most draft boards can do that, no problem, and those people are probably right. But Haliburton showed in his sophomore year at Iowa State he has no problem being THE guy on a roster. In fact, it’s the main reason he is in a position to be taken in the lottery in the first place.

A roster filled with mid-level young pieces like Miles Bridges, PJ Washington and Cody Martin is due for yet another rebuild or perhaps a kick in the butt to start realizing these players’ full potential. 

I get that a point guard might not be the top priority for the Hornets, but soon, the big sum of money they gave to Terry Rozier in the trade for Kemba Walker will start to sour. Rozier was good last season, scoring 18 points per game and shooting 42 percent from the floor and 40 percent from deep, but Rozier can thrive off the ball if Haliburton stepped in.

In the 2019-20 season, Rozier shot a blistering 45 percent from 3 off the catch, something he could get even better at if Haliburton was dishing out assists and making defenses worry about his playmaking.

Devonte Graham is another option the Hornets have at the guard spot, with Graham putting up 18.2 points per game and 7.5 assists last season. Despite the career year from Graham, the Hornets would have to decide this offseason to keep Graham off the free agent market and extend his contract.

Perhaps the Hornets like Haliburton’s playmaking and ability to make his teammates better and opt to get a nice return for Graham or just let him walk.

The question you have to ask yourself if you’re the Hornets is this: are you really building a team around the current assets you have? 

My bet would be they’d say no, making Haliburton a great first step in building a young team with a guard who can do pretty much everything.

Why Tyrese wants the Hornets

As I mentioned before, this scenario would be nothing out of the ordinary for Haliburton.

Haliburton would be able to step right into the starting lineup and be tasked with being the best player on the floor, making sure his teammates are getting opportunities to make plays — which sounds a lot like his sophomore season at Iowa State.

And the other good part of getting drafted to the Hornets if you’re Haliburton is they would start building around your strengths right away. The Hornets would begin to bring in skilled bigs who can work in the pick and roll and spot up shooters who can be at the ready when you kick the ball their way.