Hornets mailbag: Best fit if Charlotte doesn’t land Victor Wembanyama? Is a trade possible?
Things start getting interesting this week.
With the NBA Draft lottery taking place Tuesday in Chicago, giving coveted No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama clarity regarding where he’ll land, the Charlotte Hornets will have a better understanding of where they stand next month when they’re on the clock for their first-round selection. Of course, there will be plenty of questions leading up to the pick — and beyond — as always.
In this latest mailbag, we answer reader queries about the best possible pick if the Hornets don’t win the lottery, should they consider trading their selection, will they bring Dennis Smith Jr. back, do they have to choose between paying PJ Washington and Miles Bridges and more.
If not Wemby, who is best pick for the Hornets? @Catfromde via Twitter
This obviously will depend on where the Hornets fall in the draft order, especially with many of the pundits believing Scoot Henderson is a good bet to be selected second behind Wembanyama. But with Henderson being a primary ball-handler, he’s probably not a great fit alongside LaMelo Ball. The Hornets need someone who can be a big-time scorer on the wing and knock down open shots on the perimeter when Ball gets into the teeth of the defense and draws a crowd, especially with Gordon Hayward entering the final year of his contract. So if he’s around when they select, Alabama’s Brandon Miller could be the most logical choice. He checks off plenty of boxes.
Will the team consider trading up or out if they don’t land in the lottery top 4? @itsjackrobert via Twitter
While everything is on the table and it’s not out of the realm of possibility should general manager/president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak get offered a deal he simply can’t refuse, it’s unlikely the Hornets will trade out of that spot. And trading up doesn’t make much sense unless there is a player they are extremely in love with and can’t stand to see him get plucked off the board ahead of them. The lowest they can drop is eighth and they’ve landed plenty of quality players these past few years picking in that same vicinity. Getting a good talent they can control for the next few seasons on a relatively inexpensive contract is also important to keep their financial flexibility intact. So, unless they can reel in a big fish, expect them to stand pat.
If the Hornets don’t get the No. 1 pick, what’s their plans in offseason, and how are they gonna make the team better? @malayia_batton via Twitter
Trades, trades and more trades. Other than hoping for an incredible amount of internal growth from their collection of young twentysomethings, that’s the only true way for them to improve and ensure the roster can withstand injuries to key players and tread water until fully healthy. Kupchak may have to get crafty to reshape the bench and find a veteran presence because that’s one of the areas the team must address. You aren’t finding vets in the draft and splashy free agent signings this side of Hayward are unusual for this franchise. Thus, the best avenue is a trade.
Do you think the Hornets are in the position where they have to choose between paying PJ Washington or Miles Bridges? @KevyD28 via Twitter
The short answer: no. Their situations aren’t really connected when it comes to the salary cap because their respective forthcoming paydays won’t mirror each other in length and financial terms. It’s really more about which role they’d play when the roster is put together and other factors. There has to be a vision about the usage for both and what kind of lineups they’d utilize. The good news is it’s not necessarily something new because they’ve obviously been on the floor at the same time. But on the other hand there are a slew of question marks considering Bridges hasn’t been with this head coach and who knows how he’ll mesh with Mark Williams on their front line.
Do you think they’ll bring Dennis Smith Jr back? @OptimisticLoaf via Twitter
That is the expectation and it’s a move the team needs to make. The union between DSJ and the Hornets was a perfect marriage and from this vantage point there’s no reason for a divorce. Not only is he a perfect peg for them defensively, he gets along well with coach Steve Clifford and is a staunch supporter of the veteran coach’s style and philosophy. Having allies is never a bad thing and surely Clifford would benefit greatly — as will the Hornets’ star player — if Smith is back for another tour of duty with the pro team in his native state.
Will LaMelo Ball wear ankle braces next season? @CHA_ttuuse via Twitter
It’s way too early to tell. This question was broached at the final game last month and LaMelo was noncommittal. It will depend on a couple of factors, with the main ones centering around physician recommendations and comfort. He’s not going to do something that he feels may take away any explosiveness or diminishing his shifty nature. But he also has to be smart about protecting his long-term health.
Do you think a Terry trade is possible this offseason? @AdamBouanaka
Gave thoughts on that and more a few weeks ago. Take a look.
