Prominent Draft Analyst Narrows Hornets' Choice for the Sixth Pick Down to Three Names

Matt Alquiza | Jun 22, 2024

May 14, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Adam Bona (90) and Urich Chomche (62) go for a jump ball during the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Vecenie does great work around the NBA Draft. His analysis is some of the best around, and his scouting profiles are worth The Athletic's price of admission.

On his latest episode of "The Game Theory," Vecenie dropped a couple of Hornets related nuggets when it comes to the sixth overall pick.

The first involves potential lottery pick Devin Carter.

"The Devin Carter thing for the Hornets? I haven't gotten his name," said Vecenie. Carter's name is a hot one in the draft streets, specifically among Hornets media members. However, according to Vecenie, Carter is unlikely to be drafted by the Hornets. He's risen up draft boards as teams have fallen in love with his competitiveness, shooting potential, rebounding, and defense, but Charlotte seems to be enamored by other prospects.

According to Sam Vecenie, those prospects are Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle, and Dalton Knecht.

"The names I've gotten are more Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle, and Dalton Kenecht...they could end up trying to move up, that's obviously been rumored. I've been told they've been looking at a few different things...But, I expect it will be one of those three players."

In my opinion, if Charlotte is looking to trade up, the target will be Reed Sheppard. His shooting ability and offensive IQ make him one of the most intriguing picks in the draft, and it seems like Houston covets his potential fit in their backcourt.

If Sheppard is gone, and Charlotte fails to move up, it seems like their choice will be between Castle and Knecht. Two completely opposite prospects.

Castle is a defensive-minded guard that could slide into the backcourt alongside LaMelo Ball and shut down opposing perimeter players while providing playmaking off the bounce as a secondary skill. On the other hand, Knecht is a true bucket-getter that will fill it up as a shooter while giving some points away on the defensive end.

This will be Charles Lee's first crack at making a draft pick as a head coach, and he'll have two polar opposite pillars to build his team around. If you were Lee in this situation, what would you do?