Hornets end of season mock draft roundup

The Charlotte Hornets 2020-21 season has come and gone. What once looked so promising crashed and burned before our eyes. But now it’s time for what some people call the best part of the NBA season—the offseason. It’s time to fire up the Tankathon lottery simulator until the Hornets jump into the top four (it only took me two tries while I was writing this, no joke), it’s time to watch five minute of highlight videos on YouTube to develop your in depth scouting reports of players, and it’s time to formulate opinions that will be extremely incorrect in a just a couple year’s time.

We kick off this exciting time with a roundup of some mock drafts scattered throughout the Internet. With the Hornets loss in the play-in round, they’ll be picking 11th or 12th in the draft (again) come July. Here are some players that might be in play when the Hornets go on the clock:

ESPN: Isaiah Jackson, Center, Kentucky

So ESPN hasn’t put out a mock draft recently, so this is based on their list of best players available. Jackson is a long, athletic big that makes a big impact defensively but has plenty of room to grow offensively.

They have Corey Kispert going 12th. He’s an elite shooter that is good but not great in all other aspects of basketball. He’s also 22 years old.

Tankathon: Alperen Şengün, Center, Besiktas (Turkey)

Şengün dominated the Turkish Super League as an 18-year-old, finishing fifth in scoring, third in rebounds, and second in blocks in a league that features its fair share of former NBA players. He’s got great touch around the basket, but he’s definitely not the most physically imposing big.

CBS Sports: Scottie Barnes, Forward, Florida State

Barnes is a tremendous defender and playmaker as a very large 6’9” forward. He hasn’t proven he can shoot or score at a high level, but he excels in all other areas of the game. Florida State used him as a point forward a lot, and he can guard pretty much one through five.

NBC Sports: Kai Jones, Center, Texas

Jones provides a tantalizing combination of size and skill. He has the athleticism and length to space the floor vertically, and he’s shown the ability to step out and knock down threes. But all of that talent didn’t lead to a whole lot of production during his two years at Texas.

Bleacher Report: Moses Moody, Wing, Arkansas

For all the handwringing over the Hornets center position, many have forgotten that the Hornets could definitely use some extra help on the wing as well. Moody is a sweet-shooting wing with prototypical NBA size that also does a good job of battling inside and getting to the free throw line.