Charlotte Hornets: 3 Prospects that fit LaMelo Ball’s timeline

Franz Wagner, Forward, Michigan, 19

Franz Wagner,19, is already one of the most pro-ready prospects in the class. He isn’t the most athletic player in this class by any stretch and he lacks upside but Wagner is going to be a steady player in the league for quite some time. Charlotte’s has a lot of forwards on its current roster but none of them bring the defensive prowess that Wagner is bringing to the floor.

Watching the playoffs this season, particularly the Phoenix Suns, it’s clear why teams keep picking these two-way players in the lottery. Players like Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Jae Crowder were instrumental in the Suns success this season. Wagner is that type of player. He shot 34.4% from three and 83.5% from the free-throw line and projects to be a solid NBA shooter.

Defensively, Wagner is very stout and projects to be a guy who can switch 1-5. He’s 6’9″; he may be a guy who can play small ball center in a pinch. He’s an extremely smart player and always finds himself in the right place to give himself the ability to make a play. Since he lacks elite-level athleticism, this trait comes in handy.

He doesn’t really have that star potential that you would be looking for to pair next to Ball but an all-around glue guy who is just 19 years old isn’t a bad thing.