Hornets mock draft 1.0: This pick would likely make many Charlotte fans happy
.JPG "NBA G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson (0) gets inside of Metropolitans 92 center Victor Wembanyama (1) for a shot at Dollar Loan Center on Oct. 4, 2022, in Henderson, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS)")
Prediction season is upon us.
Along with the NBA Draft comes the annual proverbial reading of tea leaves, searching for the smallest of clues to give an indication of the direction a team is leaning. Since Victor Wembanyama is a sure bet to be the first player taken overall by San Antonio on June 22 and get the lengthy photo op with commissioner Adam Silver, the intrigue doesn’t begin until the second pick.
Which, of course, belongs to the Charlotte Hornets.
Pundits all over the globe are trying to figure out what they are going to do with the selection and that’s no different here in Charlotte, where many know this decision will help shape the franchise’s future. Will it be Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller?
We’re now inside the three-week mark, and it’s probably no clearer at this current moment than it was when the Hornets first learned they were runner-up in one of the most anticipated draft lotteries of all time. But we’ll give it a go.
Here is our initial Hornets-only first-round mock draft of the offseason:
No. 2 pick
▪ Name: Scoot Henderson
▪ Position: PG
▪ Team: G League Ignite
Look at most — if not all — of the early predictions from national media forecasting what the Hornets will do once they are officially on the clock and they point directly at one person.
No, it’s not the one who’s listed above.
Many of the mocks from the top outlets that cover the draft extensively place Brandon Miller in Charlotte instead of Henderson. And that only flipped once the lottery results were revealed. Leading into May 16, the general consensus was Henderson was the best player not named Wembanyama, with more than a few suggesting Henderson would be the No. 1 pick if the French phenom who’s games abroad were broadcast on the NBA’s app wasn’t in this year’s field of candidates.
So, why has that changed?
It really didn’t, but what’s happening now is Henderson is widely being assumed he’s not a fit with the Hornets because of his position. In case you haven’t heard, there is a guy by the name of LaMelo Ball here in town, and he’s the team’s All-Star floor general. Put those two together plus the Hornets’ logical need at wing and it’s suddenly Miller time everywhere.
Yes, the Hornets surely like Miller. But who’s to say they aren’t just as enamored by Henderson’s physical gifts? And as for the positional fit thing, when asked by The Observer at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago last month about the perception he can’t be teamed alongside Ball or another point guard, Henderson admitted it ticked him off.
“It kind of does, honestly,” he said. “I love seeing the two point guards. I love seeing that in action, actually. Jordan Poole and (Steph) Curry and how they used to operate in their time. I love seeing two good guards. It’s fun to watch.”
There are other factors that still must be considered in the Hornets’ roster construction when it comes to the wing position. If Miles Bridges returns as The Observer has been reporting, as well as impending restricted free agent PJ Washington, how does Bridges slot into the rotation? Bridges probably wouldn’t see a whole lot of time at power forward, so where would that leave Miller?
And don’t forget Gordon Hayward is owed $31.5 million in the final year of his contract in 2023-24. So, he’s playing unless the Hornets somehow move him this offseason or prior to the deadline in February.
Mix it together, add it all up and we’re going with Henderson as the choice. For now, anyway.
No. 27 pick
▪ Name: Julian Strawther
▪ Position: Wing
▪ Team: Gonzaga
If the Hornets draft Henderson instead of Miller, they can shift their positional focus later in the draft to the wing. Selecting someone who can be molded into a solid 3-and-D rotational player would certainly be a possibility with the second of their first-rounders.
Julian Strawther seems like a nice option to fill that role.
The 6-foot-7, 205-pound 21-year-old posted career bests per game in multiple statistical categories this past season as a junior. Among them: points (15.3), rebounds (6.3), assists (1.4), 3-point percentage (40.3) and free-throw percentage (77.6). He had a pre-draft workout with the Hornets on Sunday, and when asked by The Observer how he thinks he can help his new team, he pointed to his all-around game.
“I’m an elite shooter,” Strawther said. “That’s what the NBA is all about nowadays — big shooters and being able to space the floor for the most talented guys. I know here in Charlotte, dudes like LaMelo are All-Star caliber players.
“Being able to space the floor for them and give them as much room as possible, that’s what I feel I bring to the next level.”
Sounds like just what the Hornets need.
This story was originally published June 8, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
