Swarm and Sting
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The Charlotte Hornets may have finally hit the draft jackpot

By Chase Pletcher

CHARLOTTE, NC - JUNE 23: Rich Cho, General Manager of the Charlotte Hornets, introduces Dwayne Bacon and Malik Monk to the media at a press conference in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 23, 2017 at the Spectrum Center. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - JUNE 23: Rich Cho, General Manager of the Charlotte Hornets, introduces Dwayne Bacon and Malik Monk to the media at a press conference in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 23, 2017 at the Spectrum Center. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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After many disappointing selections by the Charlotte Hornets in recent years, they may have finally hit the jackpot with Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon.

Anybody who is a Charlotte Hornets‘ fan, or has followed the team knows their poor luck with the draft. Whether it be from missing out on Shaquille O’Neal, Dwight Howard, and Anthony Davis because the got the second overall pick instead of the first, or just drafting busts, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing.  

Now that doesn’t mean all of their draft picks have been bad players. Look at some of the guys on the team now. Frank Kaminsky, Cody Zeller, and MKG all have valuable roles on the squad. However, those guys don’t make the organization feel like they really “struck gold”.  

Perhaps Frank will have a breakout year in his third season. For Cody and MKG though, the team just has to accept who they are. Good players, but maybe not what you wanted out of second and fourth overall picks. The optimistic side of me wants to say things could change for them, but we can’t count on it.

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The only real exception to all of these players is Kemba Walker. Drafted ninth overall, he’s turned into everything the franchise could have hoped for and more. An All-Star and a leader, the city has embraced him and he’s returned the favor. Not to sound cynical, but some teams have gotten even “luckier” if that’s what you want to call it.

The Golden State Warriors drafted Draymond Green in the second round with the 35th overall pick. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard were each drafted 15th, outside of the lottery.

The Charlotte Hornets may have finally had one of those types of drafts.

I don’t want sound like I’m saying Malik Monk or Dwayne Bacon are going to be as good as those three guys I just mentioned because I’m not. What I am saying, is that based on what we’ve already seen in the preseason, they should feel like they hit the jackpot.

Malik Monk was already considered a steal after the draft, but Dwayne Bacon is starting to make teams regret not taking him in the first round. It’s very rare that second round picks actually manage to stay on a roster. Last season was just the first time a second-round pick won Rookie of the Year (Malcolm Brogdon). So even though we knew Bacon was a good scorer out of FSU, the odds were still against him.

He’s already removed doubts about whether he can play in the NBA. He already looks ready to help contribute some with the second team. On October 9th against the Miami Heat, Bacon had his first double-digit scoring game with 12 points. The very next game on Wednesday, he had 12 again including a 4-4 performance from beyond the arc.

If you are able to get a guy in round two that can give you meaningful minutes like Bacon looks like he can do, you’ve already had a successful draft. With the way Monk is playing as well, this may become the overall best draft in the team’s history.

Against the Pistons, Heat, and Celtics, Monk put up 19, 19, and 21 points respectively. He hasn’t always been incredibly efficient from the field, but he’s proven what we already knew. He’s the most polished shooter in the draft and can score from anywhere.  

The franchise seems to have come a long way from drafting the likes of Adam Morrison third overall. I can’t remember the last time there has been this much hype surrounding two Hornets’ draft picks.

Aside from Nic Batum and Dwight Howard, most of the Hornets roster is still fairly young. Kemba has just entered his prime. The team is hoping a few of their other former draft picks begin to hit theirs as well. This means that Monk and Bacon can have a big role in being a part of the core that can turn this franchise around.

The outlook for the Hornets has turned around quick. They went into the offseason feeling stuck with the roster they had, and not all that high of a draft pick. Just days before the draft they acquired a big name in Dwight Howard, who’s looking to redeem his career.  

Then draft day came, and they finally hit the jackpot.

Next: Dwight Howard is exactly what Charlotte needed

Two young guys that have already proven they belong in the NBA. Both are scorers that can create their own shot, something the team has been lacking outside of Kemba. Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon can make this draft a memory that the Charlotte Hornets’ franchise and all of its fans will remember for a long time, for positive reasons.

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