Ranking Charlotte Hornets' Young Core by Long-Term Ceiling

The Charlotte Hornets have reshaped their roster this offseason, and while it's not the same, the team still does have a good young core. How would they rank based on their ultimate ceilings?

First, let's establish who is and is not a part of the young core. For now, we're going to exclude players like Liam McNeeley, Sion James, and Ryan Kalkbrenner. Those late draft picks are solid pieces, but they're not the true core, as they weren't lottery picks and aren't incredibly valuable right now.

We are also leaving Coby White off since he's 26. The same goes for Naz Reid. That's far from old, but they definitely don't qualify as young after so many NBA seasons. That leaves the following:

Moussa Diabaté - 24 years old
Brandon Miller - 23
Kon Knueppel - 20
Tidjane Salaün - 20
Christian Anderson Jr. - 20
Hannes Steinbach - 20

So, without further ado, here's a ranking from lowest ceiling to highest.

Moussa Diabaté

It's likely that Moussa Diabaté has reached his ceiling. He is an elite offensive rebounder and hustle player, and his defense is solid, too. He just can't shoot, doesn't pass all that well, and has a pretty limited game. What he does, he does extremely well, though.

Hannes Steinbach

We really have yet to see anything from Hannes Steinbach, but he can't rank much higher. He shot 34% from three on 53 attempts in his final collegiate season, so he probably won't ever be a stretch big. He's an elite rebounder and could be a solid defender, but there's not much above that he is likely to reach.

Tidjane Salaün

Tidjane Salaün was close to being ranked higher because if he pans out, he will be good. You can see the vision with a prospect like him. He's got size, defensive ability, and shooting that don't usually come all in the same player. He's raw, but there's certainly potential and a high ceiling matched by a low floor.

Christian Anderson Jr.

If Christian Anderson reaches his potential, he will be a very good NBA player. He shoots the lights out from distance, and he is a high-level passer. He shot 40% from three for his college career and averaged 7.4 assists last season. If both skills translate, he will be very good.

Kon Knueppel

Kon Knueppel nearly ranked lower because we haven't seen what he will look like without LaMelo Ball setting him up. Obviously still a good player, Knueppel's work is going to be harder now. But we have seen enough self-creation and the elite off-ball work he does to think he will adapt and continue to be a top-shelf offensive weapon.

Brandon Miller

Brandon Miller still has work to do to reach his ceiling, but that ceiling is high. If it all works out, he'll be a true three-level scorer and a two-way stud. He has the physical tools to be a great defender and good finisher in the paint, and we already know how well he can shoot.

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