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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Milwaukee, WI – DECEMBER 22: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on December 22, 2017 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
Milwaukee, WI – DECEMBER 22: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on December 22, 2017 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The 2013 Draft had some notable names. One might wonder how they’d look in purple and teal.

This is where things are going to get a little weird. See, drafting differently will surely affect a team’s win-loss record. For instance, Charlotte finished 21-61 in the 2012-2013 season. The subtractions of MKG and Jeffery Taylor and the additions of Beal and Green will cause some ripples across the league. So, we’re going to have to calculate the differences and to do so, we’ll be using ESPN’s Hollinger’s NBA Player’s Statistics. This metric, among other things, estimates how many wins a player adds to a team.

In that season, MKG was valued at 3.6 wins and Taylor added -.01, for a total of 3.5 wins. In contrast, the combination of Beal and Green added only 1 win. So, if we round this up, Charlotte would actually finish 18-64, giving them the worst record in the league. Now, since the NBA does things via lottery as opposed to going by records, we’re going to have to improvise.

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If you remember correctly, the Cleveland Cavaliers ended up with the first pick, selecting Anthony Bennett. We all know how well that turned out. Yet, they had the third worst record in the league. Since the lottery system was first implemented back in 1985, only 6 teams with the worst record in the league have actually selected first overall. Given that Charlotte had the worst record the year before and somehow didn’t end up with the number one pick lends credence to the fact that the Hornets seem to have terrible luck with the draft lottery.

Charlotte picked 4th that year, with a 19.9% chance of getting the first pick. Orlando actually had the highest chance but picked second. That second spot will now go to the Hornets. Using Tankathon‘s lottery simulator, I was able to get the worst team the number one pick only 1 time out of 10. Yet, they had the second pick 6 times. So, I’m going with that.

First Round:

If you remember, Charlotte selected Cody Zeller with the fourth overall pick. He’s a fine player, but I think Giannis Antetokounmpo is just a bit better. Looking back, I suppose it made some sense for him to fall to the 15th spot, where the Milwaukee Bucks selected him. But, how many teams today are kicking themselves for passing over him? This again points out hard it is to be an NBA GM. You just never know how a player will pan out in some cases. Granted, it took time for Giannis to become what he is, but patience is a virtue.

Second Round:

The Hornets actually did not have a second-round pick. I think Giannis is more than enough.