Hornets Two Way Targets - Jordan Walsh

A look at a possible second-round option for the Charlotte Hornets.

There has been a substantial change in the second round of the NBA Draft in recent years. Since the NBA introduced "Two-Way" contracts in 2017 teams have looked to use these on second-round picks instead of standard NBA contracts. 

The cut-off of standard multi-year contracts normally comes around the 40th pick in the draft, players from that point onwards are primarily offered two-way contracts. In the latest CBA which starts this season, teams will now have an additional two-way slot bringing the total to three for each team.

Charlotte finished the 2022/23 season with Theo Maledon and Xavier Sneed signed to their two-way contracts, but both appear less than likely to be back again next season. Maledon probably played his way onto a standard contract somewhere in the NBA, whereas Sneed's signing was very late in the season and felt like a nice way of rewarding a loyal Swarm player with a cash bump ($) signing bonus.

Going into the 2023 draft, Charlotte will likely try and fill out at least two of those two-way spots. Let's jump into one of my favorite two-way candidates:

Jordan Walsh (Arkansas)

The first of two Razorbacks I'm planning on profiling for this exercise, Walsh stands at 6'7" with a ludicrous 7'2" wingspan. He has the length, strength, and attitude to be a lockdown defender at the NBA level. Walsh loves to guard, he takes pride in every possession, engulfing opposing players like a Venus fly trap as he swipes at the ball with his elite quick hands and long arms. 

Watch this clip below. Walsh bottles up fellow draft prospect Jalen Wilson with high hands, quick slides, and enough awareness at the end to avoid the foul. Seriously impressive for a 19-year-old freshman against a 22-year-old senior.

Jordan Walsh with the POA defense chops. Forces a tough shot from Jalen Wilson. pic.twitter.com/h69ZGkdbrR

— Drew Gooden's Suit (@drewgoodenssuit) March 18, 2023

Walsh held his opponents to just 20% in isolation, 36% off spot-ups, and 25% off screens. Those numbers put Walsh in esteemed company as one of the premier all-around defenders in this class. Coming off a strong combine, scouts are growing ever more intrigued by Walsh's potential. 

Still only 19, Walsh is still searching for how best to impact the game on the offensive end. Perhaps the most underrated part of his game is his playmaking, he has great spacial awareness and can see the play ahead. The issue for Walsh at the moment is his offensive scoring repertoire isn't polished enough for him to take advantage of his good processing speed to create scoring opportunities for himself or others. Some of the Hogs' system was to blame, with Walsh's role somewhat marginalized. At the draft combine you saw him take advantage of more opportunity having five assists in one game, more than in any Arkansas game all season. 

The big question is, what about the jump shot? There aren't any secret stats to give you confidence, he shot just 28% from 3 and a pedestrian 71% from the FT line. It doesn't matter if he was unguarded (29%), off the catch (25%), or off the dribble (29%), all the numbers suggest a non-NBA caliber shooter. 

But have you watched Jordan Walsh shoot?

Arkansas' Jordan Walsh getting shots up at the NBA draft combine in Chicago. Second scrimmage coming up on ESPN2 shortly. pic.twitter.com/IsgBgzxDcX

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 18, 2023

A steady base, good guide hand placement, a smooth release, and repeatable and consistent form. He checks all the boxes, this isn't Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Walsh's form is not just passable, it's remarkably advanced for a freshman. If Walsh's shot comes online he's not only an NBA player, but a sure-fire night-to-night rotation player. With Walsh's mechanics there's not much to "fix", he just needs reps, reps, and more reps.

Due to Walsh's lack of offensive production, he projects to go in the middle/late part of the second round by the majority of major outlets:

ESPN - 51 | BR - 35 | NC - 46 | TNK - 63 | RING - 40 |

Fit in Charlotte

The Hornets are still yet to find a premier wing stopper they can throw on an opposing team's primary player. Aaron Gordon in Denver, OG Anunoby in Toronto, Dillon Brooks in Memphis (minus the drama), you get the idea. It's clear Walsh needs to spend at least one season further developing his skill set in Greensboro, but if Charlotte does end up with Scoot-LaMelo, they will need to surround that backcourt pairing with elite defenders down the road. Charlotte reportedly places a great deal of importance on draft workouts, if Walsh comes in and shoots the ball well, I expect the Hornets to be very interested. 

Despite being projected in the second round, Walsh was the consensus 7th-rated high school prospect in the 2022 class. His three-point shooting and rim finishing, which were fairly criticized in college, were perceived strengths showing some untapped offensive potential. Walsh sacrificed his offensive role at Arkansas, conceding touches to talented teammates Anthony Black and Nick Smith, but watching the film my eyes were drawn back to Walsh time and time again making impactful winning plays all over the court helping Arkansas to finish 17th ranked nationally in defense (Per Kenpom).

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