Swarm and Sting
Fansided

Charlotte Hornets Are Playing Themselves Out of a Good Pick in the Draft

By Jerry Stephens

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the podium and stage before the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the podium and stage before the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Charlotte Hornets late push for the postseason may cost them come June as they could very well play themselves out of a good draft pick.

Just a few weeks ago, the Charlotte Hornets looked to be a shoe-in for a top-11 pick in the draft but they have decided to turn things around and make a late push for the playoffs. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing to make the postseason but it could cost the team going forward. With the upcoming draft class being so deep, having a sure-fire lottery pick could mean finding the next star.

Charlotte has already passed up the Detroit Pistons in terms of record and they are only a couple of games away from passing up the Indiana Pacers, the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat and even the Denver Nuggets. By doing so, the Hornets are limiting the number of ping pong balls they will get in the upcoming draft lottery this summer.

While it was unlikely that they were going to somehow get the first overall pick in the lottery by tanking a month ago, it would’ve given them better odds to move up and possibly into the top-10. Now they are looking at probably being locked into either the 13th or 14th pick in the lottery which isn’t all that bad considering how deep this draft is projected to be.

More from Swarm and Sting

But just how deep is the upcoming draft class? Well, NBA Scout for NetScout Cole Zwicker tweeted that “It’s deeper than most top 10 (emphasizing 4-10 range). Beyond that, it will depend on who declares.” Based on that alone, Charlotte could be in trouble. If the top-10 picks are good, then what does that mean for selections 11-15 (where the Hornets will likely be selecting)?

With the uncertainty surrounding the prospects outside of the top-10, coupled with Charlotte’s poor draft history, this pick could be a problem. There are a number of great players coming out of college this year but the best ones might be off the board by the time the Hornets are on the clock. By winning (potentially) meaningless games late in March, the team could be playing themselves outside of a star or the player they want.

The higher a team’s pick, the easier it is to get a great player. The deeper you go in the draft, the harder it gets to differentiate a potential contributor from a bust. Charlotte’s playing a risky game by making this late push.

Considering the fact that they have little to no cap space this offseason, the draft is one of the only places where the Hornets will be able to improve. Getting a top-10 or even a top-12 pick would be huge for the future success of the organization.

Next: Kemba Trying to Carry Charlotte Into the Playoffs

It will be interesting to see where the Charlotte Hornets end up drafting and it will largely depend on if they make the playoffs or not. Maybe the front office will still be able to get the guy they want wherever they pick but by winning, they are doing themselves no favors draft wise. And if they miss out on the postseason, those wins will all be for nothing.

Home/Hornets News