2025 NBA Draft Lottery Preview: Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets have a chance to solidify their young core and truly accelerate their rebuild. Tyler Metcalf and Jam Hines look at some of their favorite 2025 NBA Draft options for the Hornets.
Metcalf: This team is so frustrating. I get that injuries and turnover in the front office and coaching staff are a factor, but this team has no identity, and I’m not sure what they are aiming to achieve. The defense was bad, the offense was horrible, and the shooting was even worse. There are some foundational pieces that I like and theoretically fit together, but that gelling hasn’t happened yet. We saw last year that they prioritized upside and long-term potential over immediate impact and/or fit. Do you think they should take that same approach or steer a little more towards filling the gaps? There’ll be a lot of talent with the fourth pick; do you think there’s anyone that can allow them to kill two birds with one stone in terms of fit plus upside?
Jam: You eloquently summed up Charlotte’s season and asked the question that their front office should be asking themselves. Led by a potential superstar in LaMelo Ball, this roster has legitimate young talent that’s capable of making that next leap and helping end their playoff drought. Someone who fits their style, playoff push timeline, and still has legit upside would be ideal. V.J. Edgecombe and Khaman Maluach could be matches here. Both are two-way players who can immediately help defensively while impacting the game offensively without needing a ton of usage. They also both have scoring upside, although I trust Edgecombe’s more. Do those names align with what Charlotte is looking for? Is there a better prospect that fits the mold?
Metcalf: Honestly, I have no clue what Charlotte is looking for. Based on their last few selections, I think they’d lean more towards size with upside. Maluach makes some sense to me, but the fourth pick would be REALLY high for me. I get the Edgecombe pitch, and while I think he’ll be a good player, it feels like settling to me. Based on their history, I’d be shocked if they passed on Ace Bailey if he were on the board. I’m not entirely sure that’s the best landing spot for him, but that could be an insanely fun trio to build with if they all hit their upside in Miller, Ball, and Bailey. The other name that I think deserves more consideration is Tre Johnson. I’m extremely high on Johnson, but I also get the concerns. They’d continue to struggle defensively, but I think a lot of the shot selection and decision-making concerns would go away quickly in a setting where he isn’t the obvious number one option. Any interest in those guys, or are you pretty set on Edgecombe? I think a sneaky option could be Kon Knueppel as well; any interest there?
Jam: I’m with you on all of those options and the rationale. Maluach at four is too high for me as well. Considering the Mark Williams-Lakers trade debacle and the likely interest teams will still have in him this summer, I just wonder if the potential need there pushes Maluach up on their board. I would rather just roll with Williams.
You can never have enough wings, especially wings with upside, so Bailey and Johnson make a ton of sense. Hmmm…Kon in Charlotte, that’s interesting! With his laser shooting, feel, and size, he arguably has the highest floor in the class outside of his former teammate, Cooper Flagg. If Charlotte believes there is more to unlock with Knueppel as a scorer and/or playmaker, the case becomes even more intriguing. Where are you with Kon in Charlotte and his upside?
Metcalf: I really like Kon. If Ace and/or Tre are on the board, I think you have to go with one of them; if it’s between Kon and VJ, though, I think it’s a legitimate debate. The biggest sales pitch with Kon is the shooting. The Hornets were such a bad shooting team last year, and he’d immediately help that. He’s so much more than JUST a shooter, though. I think he has some intriguing second-side creation stuff with his ability to run a pick-and-roll and attack closeouts. The shooting threat will always draw long closeouts, but he can attack those and get downhill pretty effortlessly. He’s also really strong on the ball and rarely loses his composure in traffic. I am curious where you stand on the defense. All year, people have clowned his defense, but I don’t agree. He isn’t an elite athlete, so there is a real ceiling on it. However, he’s really strong, almost always where he needs to be, and moves his feet well. Am I being too generous?
Jam: I don't think you’re being too generous at all. Will he ever be a plus defender? Most likely not, but there is a path to at least becoming a net-neutral defender like you were laying out. He’s strong, fluid laterally (despite not being laterally quick), processes well, and he’ll compete on and off the ball. That’s just about all that you can ask for from an offensively tilted prospect with some defensive limitations like Kon. I think this conversation has really sold me on Kon in Charlotte. From the shooting and playmaking upside to his feel and connectivity, it’s a terrific match.
Metcalf: Look at that, salesman of the year. I know this is lottery-focused, but the Hornets also have the 33rd and 34th picks. Whether they stay there or use those to trade back up into the late first, are there any names there that get you excited or make a lot of sense for them?
Jam: There should be some fun names with their second rounders that address both fit and need. If Charlotte doesn't go with a big at #4, Yanic Konan Niederhauser makes a lot of sense. Mark Williams is likely still available, and Jusuf Nurkic isn't the long-term solution. Niederhauser brings positional size in a translatable play finishing-shot blocking role, and he could feast as the roll man for Ball. Shooting is always a need, especially on this squad, to allow Ball, Miller, and Bridges room to operate. Even if Knueppel is their first pick, how about going back to the shooting well with one or both picks? Koby Brea, Chaz Lanier, and Brice Williams are all dynamic shooters and shotmakers who can contribute immediately. Adding perimeter defense should be a priority as well. RJ Luis, Jamir Watkins, and Micah Peavy could be excellent options despite varying degrees of shooting reliability.
I know I kind of went all over the place, but are any of those names clicking here for you? Is there a need or position Charlotte should be targeting with either one or both of their second rounders?
Metcalf: I think that’s the most obvious spot for them to take a big with guys like Ryan Kalkbrenner, Maxime Raynaud, Niederhauser, and Bogoljub Markovic typically mentioned in that range. They may need to move up a few spots for some of those guys, but that’s the approach I would take. With their first pick, though, the Hornets are in a much better spot this year to take a safer swing on a perimeter player. It seems like all the buzz (pun intended) is that they’re in love with V.J. Edgecombe. It’ll be fascinating to see if he falls to them or if they end up having to move up for him. Tre Johnson and Kon Knueppel would be incredibly fun fits too, but if Edgecombe ends up in Charlotte, Hornets fans should be thrilled about his fit, upside, and work ethic.