The latest Bulls rumor is the kind that makes a fan base wince: Chicago may have had a shot at Tyrese Haliburton in the 2020 NBA Draft, and former executive Arturas Karnisovas reportedly wasn’t sold on him as a top talent.
That detail comes from Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, and it lands with extra sting because of how that draft looks now. The Bulls held the No. 4 pick in 2020 and used it on Florida State forward Patrick Williams. Haliburton, meanwhile, went No. 12 to the Sacramento Kings.
If that draft were being done over today, Haliburton would be sitting comfortably in the top five. He’s one of only five players from that class to become an NBA All-Star, alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Deni Avdija and Tyrese Maxey.
For Chicago, the what-ifs only get louder because Williams has been useful, but not close to the production you expect from a No. 4 selection. This past season, he played in 72 games, started six of them, and logged a little over 20 minutes per night. He finished with career lows of 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists, while shooting 37.2 percent from the field, 34.7 percent from 3-point range and 72 percent from the free-throw line.
Haliburton’s rise has been impossible to ignore. The Pacers guard is now a two-time All-Star, and he helped lead Indiana to the 2025 NBA Finals, the franchise’s first Finals trip since 2000.
The Bulls, of course, weren’t the only team to pass on him. But if this report is accurate, Chicago fans have every reason to look at that decision and feel the missed opportunity.
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