Hornets Mock Draft: Lottery Luck Gifts Charlotte Elite Two-Way Prospect

The lottery has been unkind to the Charlotte Hornets for basically forever. They were robbed of the first pick in 2012, missed out by one spot in 2023, and were utterly robbed again in 2025 when they had the best odds for the first pick and finished fourth.

Getting Kon Knueppel was a blessing in disguise, but the Hornets are more than overdue for a beneficial ping pong ball. While they are likely to make the Play-In and very well could make the playoffs through it, they're currently in the lottery.

And if the lottery falls this way, it will be more than worth missing the playoffs. In the very first simulation of the lottery I ran, the Hornets jumped all the way to fourth, which would be an absolute dream come true.

Picking fourth, the obvious and only choice to make is Caleb Wilson. He's been incredible, although he is currently sidelined with a fractured hand (injury woes for a Hornets player? Say it ain't so!).

North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) looks on against the Miami Hurricanes | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

His per-36 numbers from his freshman year are eye-popping: 22.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.7 steals. He and fellow Tobacco Road standout Cam Boozer are the only players averaging a double-double in per-36 numbers.

Wilson is phenomenal on both ends of the floor. He lacks a three-point shot, but his midrange shooting stroke, which is sometimes fairly deep, suggests he could add that to his game. But when you're this good at getting to the rim and finishing over defenders, a three-pointer is not totally necessary.

He would give the Hornets true size and really good defense at the four spot, allowing them to move Miles Bridges to the bench to be a scorer that can bolster the second unit.

Additionally, in this lottery simulation, the Hornets landed the 19th pick from the Suns because of some complex, conditional pick swap rights. If that conveys, the Hornets would be in an unfathomably good spot.

Baylor Bears guard Cameron Carr (43) during warmups before the game against the BYU Cougars | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

With that pick, they can take Baylor shooting guard Cameron Carr. The Hornets have a backup point guard in Coby White, whom they hope to re-sign. They have Tre Mann and Josh Green, who can play the two, but neither is quite so good that the Hornets should look at other positions.

For the most part, the Hornets are set everywhere else, because Grant Williams, Miles Bridges, Caleb Wilson, Moussa Diabate, Tidjane Salaün, and Ryan Kalkbrenner are a really good group of bigs to work with.

Carr's per-36 numbers showcase why the Hornets would love to grab him, though. He averages 20.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 steals. He'd be the perfect bench scorer that can play a little defense, too.