Winners + Losers From Hornets' Draft Haul

A few Hornets will see their roles diminish even more in 2023.

Several players were impacted by what the Charlotte Hornets did in the 2023 NBA Draft and in some ways, you could say every current member on the roster was impacted. However, some benefitted more than others. 

Here are a few winners and loser from the Hornets' 2023 draft haul.

Winners: LaMelo Ball, Dennis Smith Jr.

It would have been very interesting to see how LaMelo Ball would have handled being in the same backcourt as Scoot Henderson. Personally, I don't think it would have caused any friction but I'm not sure either would have reached max potential playing alongside one another. Getting Brandon Miller will certainly take some attention away from Ball and allow him to be an even more dynamic of a point guard.

Dennis Smith Jr. is an unrestricted free agent, so he's not directly impacted by what the Hornets did in the draft but by passing on Scoot Henderson, it leaves a backcourt spot open. Steve Clifford loves defensive-minded players and Smith fits that bill. Nick Smith Jr. is more of a two while Dennis is the ideal backup to Melo.

Losers: Kelly Oubre Jr., James Bouknight, Kai Jones

By drafting Brandon Miller second overall, I believe this puts Kelly Oubre Jr. out of a Hornets uniform. Both Oubre and Miller can play the 2/3 and with how tight the roster is, there just doesn't seem to be a spot for the veteran lefty. Had the Hornets opted for Scoot Henderson, it would be a different story.

James Bouknight, in my opinion, was already entering the 2023-24 season on thin ice. He hasn't come anywhere close to living up to the expectations of a first-round pick and has struggled to even be a part of the NBA rotation. It feels evident that Nick Smith Jr. will be his replacement and unless Bouknight starts producing out of nowhere, this will be his final season in Charlotte.

Fellow 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones is in a similar boat. He's shown flashes of potential here and there but is still a long way away from being a rotational piece. James Nnaji could be stashed for a year before coming over but when he does, it might spell the end of the road for Kai with the Hornets.

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on Twitter:

Facebook - All Hornets

Twitter - @All_Hornets and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.