2023 NBA Draft Team Recap: Charlotte Hornets
While the biggest hype around the 2023 NBA Draft was with the No. 1 overall pick, the draft really started with what the Hornets would do after Victor Wembanyama was off the board. Ultimately - and after days of back and forth reporting and moving betting lines - the Hornets decided to take Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson. This decision will have the careers of Miller and Henderson linked throughout their careers, as many people had Henderson as the better overall prospect.
In the end, the Hornets chose to go with what they felt like was the better fit next to LaMelo Ball, although there are plenty of reasons to believe that Ball and Henderson would have paired just fine in the backcourt. As it is, the Hornet are still getting a prototypical modern wing in the 6-foot-9 bucket getting Miller.
The Alabama prospect averaged just under 20 points per game in a very NBA style offense with the Crimson Tide and did so on 38% from behind the 3-point line and 86% from the charity stripe. The biggest concern with Miller was ability to finish around the rim which is a question that will hopefully be answered with added strength to his slender frame.
One thing to watch for in his rookie season is the return of his mid range game which was his calling card coming out of high school.
With Kelly Oubre Jr. an unrestricted free agent and Gordon Hayward on an expiring contract, there should be plenty of opportunities to score the ball this year for the 20-year-old wing.
With their other first round pick the Hornets seemingly got incredible value with a highly touted recruit that battled injuries at Arkansas in Nick Smith Jr. The North Little Rock HS alum was the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 class for some outlets but had an inconsistent season for the Razorbacks as he was in and out of the lineup for a very talented team that never truly found its identity.
The 6-foot-5 guard has loads of potential and one thing that was never questioned was his competitiveness. If he can get healthy, beef up a little and learn to slow down his pace he could be the heir apparent to the role that Terry Rozier plays and jump fellow first round pick, James Bouknight, along the way.
With the first pick in the second round the Hornets added yet another upside prospect in center James Nnaji. He is still raw due to playing in professional leagues with grown men and getting limited minutes but the potential is real. Hailing from Nigeria, he is a mountain of a young man at just 18-years-old and possesses NBA ready defensive tools.
Where Nnaji is much less ready for the NBA is on the offensive end of the court where he is little more than a lob finisher. This one will be interesting as the Hornets drafted Mark Williams just outside the lottery last season and have Nick Richards on the books for three more seasons.
Nnaji could be a draft-and-stash candidate that spends another year or so in Spain refining his game but don’t be surprised if the Hornets decide to keep him here and he actually plays some backup minutes behind Williams.
With their fourth and final pick of the draft the Hornets added an intriguing two-way guard in Amari Bailey. He won't blow you away with any one skill on the offensive end but does everything at a decent clip.
If he were to make an immediate impact it would be on the defensive end but considering the amount of guards currently on the roster, pre free agency and trades, it would seem he is more likely destined to a rookie season in the G League.
The Hornets currently have 11 players under contract and that is not counting the restricted free agents PJ Washington and Miles Bridges. According to Spotrac they could get anywhere from 41 million over the cap to 17 million under. It will undoubtedly be an interesting offseason for the Hornets but this draft class should add some excitement and optimism to a team that just went through a severely disappointing 2022-2023.
At time of publishing the Charlotte Hornets have also added the following players:
- Leaky Black (Two-Way)
- Nathan Mensah (Exhibit-10)
- Angelo Allegri (Exhibit-10)
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