When the card with their logo got pulled out of the envelope by NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, revealing the Charlotte Hornets failed to jump up in the draft lottery Tuesday night, it surely didn’t incite many smiles.
Certainly not from PJ Washington, who would’ve gladly flashed a toothy pose on the dais in Chicago if they somehow rose from the 13th spot. The Hornets’ combo forward had some diamond-encrusted fronts filling a hefty portion of his mouth and undoubtedly wanted to see them sparkle in high definition. But unlike two years ago when they leaped up to the third spot, putting them in a position to select LaMelo Ball, Tuesday wasn’t the Hornets’ time to shine.
If they’re thinking big, though, that should change soon.
The Hornets are in a unique position and it’s imperative they take full advantage. These kinds of opportunities don’t come along very often — definitely not in Charlotte — and the Hornets’ brass should do everything in their power to execute a major, major move.
Thanks to a heady stipulation in their sign-and-trade sending Devonte’ Graham to New Orleans in August, the Hornets are now equipped with two first-round selections. In addition to the No. 13 overall pick, they also have the 15th selection after the Pelicans made the playoffs. If New Orleans missed out on the main 16-team field this season, the first-round pick would have instead been conveyed to a pair of second-rounders.
Armed with that extra asset, the Hornets need to get bold and think outside the box on this one. They don’t need any more young players they have to groom. James Bouknight and Kai Jones are already waiting in the wings.
With that in mind, it’s best to flip those two picks — and whatever else they have to do to match salary — for a true center who can be a difference-maker.
Can you say, hello Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton or Utah’s Rudy Gobert?
The Hornets are devoid of some key pieces and it all begins with the lack of an imposing big man in the middle who can do a variety of things well. Like score. Or rebound. Or block shots. Intimidate someone on occasion. And, oh yeah, play defense.
Ayton or Gobert could give them a huge boost and it’s looking like both of them may very well be on their way out of their respective cities, meaning they likely can be had for the right price. And as long as it’s within reason, the Hornets should be one of the suitors at the front of the line. Dangle those two picks and use them as a starting point. Engage the Suns and/or Jazz. Make it happen.
Something is amiss in Phoenix. There seems to be an underlying issue bubbling up between Ayton and the Suns, leading to further speculation about the big man’s future in the desert. The stage was set for a showdown of sorts this past season when the Suns didn’t offer Ayton a rookie contract extension, making him a restricted free agent this summer.
Phoenix coach Monty Williams didn’t do much to douse the raging flames when he was asked about Ayton logging only 17 minutes in the Suns’ loss to Dallas in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
“Deandre’s situation is something that we’ll deal with this summer,” Williams told reporters Monday. “I don’t want to say anything in regards to that.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
In fact, things are so bad between the two sides that some sites are actually taking wagers on which team Ayton is going to suit up for next. Detroit is the favorite, according to betonline.ag, followed by Orlando, San Antonio, Indiana, Portland, Oklahoma City, Houston and Chicago. The Hornets aren’t even listed.
Maybe that’s good and general manager Mitch Kupchak can swoop in and pluck him off the Suns’ roster. At age 23, Ayton fits in perfectly with the Hornets’ young core (they also have a fellow Bahamian on the roster in Jones) and has the ability to keep them from being so one-dimensional and overly affected by whether their 3-pointers are falling. Putting him alongside LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, provided they re-sign him, would give the Hornets some freakish athleticism on that frontline to compliment their uptempo style.
Over in Utah, there are rumblings the Jazz are potentially going to break the core up and that could mean either Donovan Mitchell or Gobert have played their last game for the franchise. Gobert turns 30 next month and is not as young as Ayton. But the three-time All-Star and three-time defensive player of the year is a more established threat. He’s been named to the All-NBA second team once and a member of the All-NBA third team on three occasions.
Just think about how his presence can benefit Ball and how they could form their own version of “Lob City.”
Even dreaming of these kinds of scenarios for the Hornets are typically far-fetched previously for a variety of reasons. Usually, at the forefront is the Hornets’ lack of assets and penchant for not going for the gusto, in a sense.
They have the assets now after boasting a pair of first-round picks next month, and firing James Borrego following a 43-win season is an indicator they have to go all-in and take advantage of whatever window they think they have to climb up the Eastern Conference. In order to truly do that, they must get brazen and be among those wheeling and dealing this offseason.
Otherwise, they’ll be left behind, playing catch up with everyone else yet again.
