Why the Charlotte Hornets Were Correct to Ignore Their Biggest Need on Draft Night

Tuesday night, the Charlotte Hornets made the first two additions to their team since the 2025-26 season ended.

They held two selections in the first round: their own at 14, and at 18 they held the Orlando Magic's pick via a trade with the Phoenix Suns at the 2025 Trade Deadline. With constant debate over who they would select at these picks, it seemed obvious the route they would go: a forward/big man and a guard.

With rumors surrounding Coby White leaving, and the likely departure of Tre Mann after a disappointing return from injury, names like Bennett Stirtz and Dailyn Swain were floated around to be the potential backup ball-handler for the Hornets.

As for the other idea, the Hornets still have struggles when it comes to their size and depth at the four and five. As great as Moussa Diabaté and Ryan Kalkbrenner were, the two of them are not a center rotation on a team who will win a round during the playoffs. Further more, the Hornets starting and backup four sit at 6'7, which is widely seen as undersized in today's NBA.

The board did not fall the Hornets way leading up to 14, as targets such as Morez Johnson Jr, Aday Mara, and Yaxel Lendeborg all came off the board between the 9th and 12th overall pick. As 14 rolled around, it was announced the Hornets would be selecting Washington big man Hannes Steinbach.

With only three picks needing to be made until the Hornets were on the clock again at 18, attention was diverted to selecting a guard. The team held significant interest in Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz, but he fell off the board when Oklahoma City traded up to 16. So, with the 18th overall pick the Hornets selected Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson.

The two 20 year olds each bring a skillset to the Hornets that will improve what made the 2026 Hornets the 2026 Hornets: Anderson is viewed as one of the best three-point scorers in the class, hitting at a 41.7% clip on 259 attempts, while Steinbach's 14.9% offensive rebound percentage puts him in the 95th percentile amongst NBA bigs in their final season of NCAA basketball.

The Hornets doubled down on the formula that fueled their offensive success last season: three-point shooting and offensive rebounding.

This is not what ended up causing the Hornets to miss the playoffs, though. It was the ability to get to the rim.

Of the 582 players who qualified in the drives per game statistic, only two Charlotte players were in the top 50, and only six were in the top 250. Despite this, the Hornets were still top ten in the NBA in drives per game. With three of the six being guards (LaMelo Ball, Coby White, and Tre Mann), the numbers paint a clear picture: outside of a handful of perimeter creators, the Hornets simply lacked players capable of consistently getting downhill and collapsing defenses.

When Charlotte went with two players in the draft who do not drive to the rim, it came to the disappointment of many fans. Steinbach is in the 52nd percentile amongst bigs when it comes to generating rim pressure, while Anderson is viewed generally as one of the worst players in the draft at driving to the rim, where he was in the 31st percentile of generating rim pressure.

The Hornets went all in on what their strengths are, and that's a good thing.

The NBA Draft is where teams acquire talent. The players that are selected on draft night are not always expected to solve the team's biggest weaknesses immediately. These teams are investing on players who, in just a few seasons, can become either core players or tradeable assets.

Free agency and the trade market is where teams find their immediate needs. While the Hornets still need players who can get downhill and generate rim pressure, they do not need to force that fit with their first-round selections.

Drafting for need is often how we see teams end up passing on better players. Nearly a decade ago, the Sacramento Kings selected De'Aaron Fox with their first round pick. After a solid rookie season, the Kings held the second overall pick, and their biggest need was for a big man. The Kings, drafting for need, selected Duke's Marvin Bagley III.

One pick later was Luka Doncic.

While no draft comparison is perfect, the lesson remains: teams that prioritize immediate fit over long-term talent can end up regretting it for years to come.

This is not saying that Steinbach or Anderson will turn into stars, nor is it suggesting that Charlotte should completely ignore roster construction during the draft. If Jeff Peterson and his front office believed that the two were the most talented players available when the Hornets were on the clock, then selecting them was the best decision they could have made.

The Hornets still have a need for players who can generate rim pressure. It's still arguably their biggest need, but it's not something that is needed to be addressed on draft night. Through free agency and the trade market, the Hornets can find proven NBA players who provide this immediate target, instead of hoping that one of their draft picks can translate immediately.

Charlotte's focus was adding talent. It remains to be seen what their two draft picks last night will become, but it will not decide whether or not they make the playoffs in 2027.

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