Swarm and Sting
Fansided

Re-picking the last five drafts for the Charlotte Hornets

By Elijah Edwards

Charlotte Hornets 2017 NBA Draft (Photo by Ashlee Espinal/NBAE via Getty Images)
Charlotte Hornets 2017 NBA Draft (Photo by Ashlee Espinal/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 22: A shot of the Charlotte Hornets cap during the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Ashlee Espinal/NBAE via Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 22: A shot of the Charlotte Hornets cap during the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Ashlee Espinal/NBAE via Getty Images) /

It’s safe to say that the Charlotte Hornets haven’t had a lot of recent success in the NBA draft. Questionable picks and head scratching draft day moves have been par for the course for some time. Let’s rewind the clock and do it all over, shall we?

Being an NBA General Manager is not an easy job. It’s easy to be critical of them, but most of us don’t have the skills and knowledge to actually be a GM in any league. Still, hindsight is 20/20 and while it is somewhat saddening to look back at missed opportunities, it’s also interesting to think of what might have been. I’m going to go back through the last five Charlotte Hornets’ drafts and see what type of team we can build. Let’s get started with the 2012 NBA draft.

2012 NBA Draft

First round:

The then Charlotte Bobcats held the number 2 overall pick. The year after drafting future two-time All-Star Kemba Walker, Charlotte drafted Michael Kidd-Gilchrist out of the University of Kentucky. He’s been a mainstay on the team ever since, with his defensive prowess proving to be very useful at times. At the time, it seemed that MKG’s upside was very big. After all, he was coming off a freshman season at Kentucky where he was a second-team All-American and a National Champion. Yet, one has to wonder if he’s hit his ceiling. Granted, he is still only 24 years old, but it’s unclear whether or not he’ll ever be more than what he is currently. We can probably do better.

There are a lot of interesting picks here. The obvious choice would be Damian Lillard, but having just drafted Kemba and knowing what he’ll turn into, I’ll pass. Some would argue that Damien is a better player than Kemba, but I feel like we needed help elsewhere. I will be drafting Bradley Beal, who went just after MKG to the Washington Wizards. I think he’s a vast improvement over Gerald Henderson, who was the starting shooting guard at the time. One could argue Andre Drummond and you’d have a point, but we’ll address that need later.

Second round:

In the second round, Charlotte selected Jeffery Taylor out of Vanderbilt. He would play three seasons in Charlotte, averaging only 6.1 points game in his brief NBA career. We can definitely do better here. You see, a player by the name of Draymond Green was available and was selected four picks later by the Golden State Warriors. He’ll definitely suffice. If that somehow isn’t your speed, how about Khris Middleton? He fell all the way to 39th. On to 2013.