Hornets NBA Mock Draft Roundup May 19th

The Charlotte Hornets are in one of the toughest situations in the NBA. With the draft being the annual beacon of hope for most fans, let’s take a look at what some so-called experts think the Charlotte Hornets should take.

The Ringer: Collin Sexton, Point-Guard, Alabama

“A fearless score-first point-guard who needs to learn how to control his intensity”

My take: The Charlotte Hornet have needed a backup point-guard ever since Jeremy Lin took his illustrious fan base to Brooklyn. Collin Sexton wouldn’t be a horrible pick, but in this particular mock draft, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still available, and he would make much more sense for Charlotte considering his size and versatility.

Sports Illustrated: Kevin Knox, Forward, Kentucky

“With Mitch Kupchak running the front office and James Borrego in place as head coach, the Hornets will chart their direction with personnel changes over the next couple months. Don’t expect this pick to produce a star who defines the franchise, but getting a building block in place, ideally covering the wing, would be a boost. Knox is still figuring it out, but has a lot of appealing tools and should be able to impact games as a scorer as he matures physically and learns the game. Athletic players in his mold are in demand right now, and he offers an appealing blank slate as a combo forward.”

My take: Kevin Knox has a lot of appealing traits. His offensive game is very, very enticing. That said, Knox could be a bit of a reach with the 11th overall pick. His overall game reminds me a lot of Marvin Williams with the ability to stretch the floor from a 3/4 position. Knox has a lot of defensive upside, but there are some concerns over his motor and motivation, which were on display at Kentucky. There would be no reason to be mad or angry over this pick, but I don’t think there would be a reason to celebrate, either. Knox could be a solid rotational wing moving forward.

CBS Sports: Miles Bridges, Forward, Michigan State

“Bridges is a better small-ball power forward than he is a full-time wing. But stressing too much about that is probably overthinking it because the 6-6 sophomore is an explosive athlete who can pass and shoot and guard multiple positions. He averaged 17.1 points and 7.0 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per game while leading Michigan State to the Big Ten regular-season title. In a mostly position-less NBA, I’m comfortable trusting the former Big Ten star will figure things out.”

My take: Bridges is an explosive athlete who can help an offense in multiple ways. He is an underrated 3-point shooter, but his defense likely won’t fully translate with ease to the NBA given his size. Depending on who is available, Bridges would be a decent selection for Charlotte. He has upside as a three or a four and could seal a role in the future depending on who Charlotte keeps or moves on from. He is slightly more developed than some other prospects in the draft, but his ceiling may not be as high. Still, Bridges is an exciting player with a lot to offer.

Off The Glass: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Point-Guard, Kentucky

“It is very likely Kemba Walker leaves the Charlotte Hornets next offseason, or maybe Walker is even traded on draft night. Either way, the backup point-guard depth last season for Charlotte was horrendous so if they can find a way to sure up their rotations with new head coach James Borrego, it might do them wonders.”

My take: With this being my very own mock draft, I’m all but forced to agree with my own explanation. SGA is a high ceiling player who can end up playing either guard spot for the Hornets. His fluidity is rare, and he has come a long way since the beginning of the season where he was hardly talked about. Gilgeous-Alexander would be a better fit than Collin Sexton due to his defensive versatility and offensive potential, which is much needed in the Charlotte Hornets backcourt.

There is a wide variety as to what the Charlotte Hornets should do with the 11th overall pick. However, Mitch Kupchak has to hit on this draft. As of now the Hornets are directionless and are in a cap-tastrophe (sorry). It would be a great year to land one of those young stars in the league today.