Charlotte Hornets second round NBA draft target: Miles Byrd

Charles Lee, the first-year head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, adores players that do two things on defense: play with great 'shift activity,' and identify and slow down the 'MIG.'

As I understand it, shift activity refers to a defender's ability to actively participate in team defense. Moving with fluid, succinct motions to slow down an opposing attack from whatever angle necessary.

The 'MIG,' an acronym for 'Most Important Guy' refers to cutters, spotted-up shooters, rollers, or ball-handlers that are in the most dangerous positions on offense. Lee harps on these two defensive principles nightly, and this offseason, Charlotte should target players who fulfill Lee's specific wishes as a defender.

A hot name in NBA Draft circles, Miles Byrd, a junior from San Diego State, projects as the type of player Lee covets.

Analyzing Byrd's game

Byrd, the type of guard/forward hybrid that the Oklahoma City Thunder deploy in waves, measured in at 6'4.75" with a 6'10" wingspan at this month's NBA Combine. His go-go-gadget arms are the skeleton key to unlocking his disruptive defensive game.

According to Bart Torvik, Byrd amassed a 4.9% block rate and a 4.3% steal rate during his junior season in the Mountain West. To put those numbers in context, here is a blurb from ESPN's Kevin Pelton that details the impact Byrd has on defense: 'Over the past decade, just four other draft picks have projected for at least two steals per 100 plays and to block 2% of opponent 2-point attempts: OG Anunoby, Tari Eason, Paul Reed, Matisse Thybulle and Zion Williamson.'

Pretty solid company.

The potential first round pick is a true disruptor on the defensive end. Byrd's hands are active and dangerous at all times: it's a wonder how he gets through TSA. His fluid hips and quick twitch athletic abilities allow him to stay in front of probing ball handlers, but it's his magnetic mitts that light up the stat sheet.

He doesn't come without questions on defense, though. Byrd has a thin frame, so bigger wings in the NBA will give him trouble, and he has propensity to leave his feet to rack up highlight blocks, making him vulnerable to veteran paint players that carry a deep bag of fakes.

On offense, Byrd has a crafty game. He displayed a soft touch around the rim and at the free throw line, giving evaluators hope that he'll shoot it better than the 30.1% clip he fired from deep as a junior.

However, the most encouraging part of his game is his passing. It is unlikely that Byrd will ever run an NBA offense as a primary initiator, but he showed enough juice off the bounce with both hands and some manipulative passing skills that him becoming a second-side ball handler is well-within his wide range of outcomes.

Here's a nugget from The Ringer's NBA Draft Guide about Byrd's ultra-rare combination of defensive acumen and playmaking feel: 'Since the 2007-08 season, Byrd is one of 13 players who have posted steal and block percentages over 4 percent and an assist percentage over 15.'

Byrd has solid vertical pop at the rim and a penchant to play through contact, allowing him to finish strong over bigger players. Combine that with his improving float game, and the blurry outline of a three-level scorer become slightly clearer.

As it stands, Byrd is ranked 44th on Rookie Scale's consensus big board. However, once workout season hits and the defensive specialist has a chance to guard similarly ranked prospects in team specifc runs, I believe he will begin rising up draft boards around the league. The potential two-way versatility Byrd brings to the floor is tantalizing enough for savvy teams to take a swing on him late in the first round or early in the second.

A trade up combining picks 33 and 34 is a distinct possibility for the Hornets. If they move back into the first round, Byrd should absolutely be on the table for Charlotte.

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