Four Draft Day Scenarios for the Charlotte Hornets

A look at what the Hornets may do tonight in the 2022 NBA Draft.

We are just hours away from the 2022 NBA Draft and the Charlotte Hornets could go in a ton of different directions in regards to what they do with their two first round picks. 

Here are four scenarios that make the most sense.

Scenario No. 1:

Hornets trade: Gordon Hayward, 13th pick

Hornets receive: Myles Turner

If Kupchak makes this move, the Hornets save 60 million over 2 years and solve their issues at the center position. They would still be armed with the 15th pick to potentially select their cornerstone center of the future with someone like Mark Williams. This way you could bring Turner in and with him as an expiring contract the Hornets would be able to move off of him at the trade deadline if the right opportunity presents itself. 

Flexi-bi-li-ty. 

If they wanted to sign Myles long-term then the 15th pick probably turns into one of the wings in the draft such as AJ Griffin, Ochai Agbaji, or Jalen Williams. This would be a savvy move by Mitch and company.

Scenario No. 2 

Hornets pick a combination of Jalen Duren/Mark Williams and Ochai Agbaji/Jalen Williams

With a combination of picking a young center and wing, the Hornets would be looking to stack young talent via the draft. The front office has said before that the lifeblood of the Charlotte Hornets organization is adding talent via the draft. That philosophy has gotten them a 10-win improvement in each of the last two seasons. Why change now? Taking a wing gives them a young core player at the three spot that they don’t necessarily have right now.

Scenario No. 3

Hornets trade up with Pelicans/Blazers to select Shaedon Sharpe

I’m not sure how likely this one is (mostly for what it may cost) but this would be a grand slam swing by Michael Jordan’s organization. As I’m sure you may have heard, Sharpe is dripping with potential as a 6’6" 18-year-old, with an out-of-this-world vertical to go along with a silky smooth jumper. That type of player hitting their ceiling would be a dream scenario with LaMelo whipping no-look passes to him for the next decade. If you hit on a pick like this, you could have a recipe for multiple Eastern Conference Finals appearances in Charlotte’s future.

The downside, people report that Sharpe is a bit more reserved and is also taking an enormous leap from high school hoops to the NBA. How will he adjust? How long does it take for him to learn the intricacies of the NBA?

This would be a move of conviction by Mitch. This is a huge swing and it would likely cost a bevy of assets to move up to select the 18-year-old. But the payoff could be franchise-changing.

Scenario No. 4

Hornets trade out of the draft entirely

This would signal an aggressive move to try to go all-in on winning next season. Is it time to do that at this point? That is up for debate.

Who would be the target? Turner? Rudy Gobert? Deandre Ayton? An experienced All-Star level center such as Deandre Ayton or Gobert could present an opportunity for the Hornets to take a major leap in the Eastern Conference next year. If that is the move, then the Hornets would also be locking themselves into a huge contract at a position that has been continually devalued over time in the NBA. A move like this would also cost the Hornets many of their resources and could restrict them from making other trades/signings in the future. Making this move limits some of the franchise’s future moving forward.