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Charlotte Hornets schedule pre-draft workout with Justin Jackson

By Jerry Stephens

Feb 18, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) dribbles up the floor during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 65-41. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports-
Feb 18, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) dribbles up the floor during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 65-41. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports- /
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The Charlotte Hornets are scheduled to hold a pre-draft workout with Justin Jackson prior to the NBA Draft.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN NBA, Justin Jackson has a pre-draft workout scheduled with the Charlotte Hornets. It is unclear when the workout will take place, it will surely happen before June 22nd which is the date of the NBA Draft. The team has already worked out a number of top prospects and Jackson is another name to add to the list.

Begley also said that the UNC product will workout for the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Portland Trail Blazers. DraftExpress.com ranks Justin as the 16th overall prospect in this year’s draft class. Their latest mock also has the Chicago Bulls selecting him with the 16th pick in the first round. Jackson is the top-ranked junior.

It may be considered a bit of a stretch for Charlotte to take him at No. 11 in the lottery but it isn’t necessarily out of the question. Especially since he is a two-way wing player which is something the Hornets could use on their roster. His connection to North Carolina makes this potential marriage an even more intriguing one.

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At the NBA Draft Combine, the Houston, Texas native measured in at 6’8″ and 201 pounds with an impressive 6’11” wingspan. He also recorded an 8’8″ standing reach with a 35.5″ max vertical jump.

During his junior year under Roy Williams, Justin averaged 18.4 points per game, 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 51% from two and 36.8% from the three-point line. He made a major jump from his second season in college and that is the main reason why he has become a fringe lottery player in this year’s draft.

The one glaring problem with Justin is that he is already 22-years old which means that he is closer to a finished product that most of the younger prospects. That may sound good but it also makes his upside much lower as well. Most teams outside of the lottery will be able to overlook that considering his great size and length.

Jackson has already met with the Chicago Bulls (#16), the New York Knicks (#8), the Sacramento Kings (#5 and #10), the Detroit Pistons (#12), the Atlanta Hawks (#19) and the Miami Heat (#14). There have been reports that Justin has impressed a number of teams during pre-draft workouts.

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For the Charlotte Hornets, Jackson remains an interesting option. Although, it would be better if they traded back rather than selecting him at #11. If the team likes what they see in Justin, he could be a viable option to replace Michael Kidd-Gilchrist if they chose to go in that direction.