Charlotte Hornets NBA Draft: First round grades

The Charlotte Hornets brought in two players in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. James Bouknight was selected with the 11th overall pick and Charlotte traded up to acquire the draft rights to Kai Jones who was taken by the New York Knicks with the 19th overall pick.

Bouknight was being mocked by many experts as an early lottery pick, slated to go in the top 10, and fell right into Charlotte’s lap with the 11th overall pick. Jones is a player who many mocked to the Hornets at 11 due to their glaring hole at center, and the team was able to make a deal to get back into the first round to get their guy.

Here are my draft grades for Charlotte’s two first-round picks.

James Bouknight – UCONN – 11th overall pick

The Hornets have struck gold with Bouknight falling right into their lap. Mitch Kupchak has stressed the need to add talent to Charlotte’s young roster that exceeded expectations last season but also struggled down the stretch when injuries started to pile up. Bouknight is a pure scorer and has the potential to be an elite three-level scorer in the NBA.

Bouknight has the potential to be the guy that when the Hornets need a bucket late in the game, you can put the ball in his hands to go get you one. His quick first-step and quick-twitch ability allow him to get to just about any spot he wants. His shooting numbers weren’t great at UCONN but this could be because he was asked to do a lot with very little around him. Playing alongside guys like LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, and Gordon Hayward, Bouknight should be able to get way better looks at the next level.

The selection of Bouknight likely means that Malik Monk won’t be returning to the team as Bouknight immediately fills that spark scorer role that Monk played from the bench. It’s been known for some time now that the Hornets would enter next season without either Monk or Devonte’ Graham. Graham will likely be kept around because of his playmaking and three-point shooting, but Bouknight does have the potential to be a secondary playmaker when called upon.

Along with Monk and Graham, Rozier’s future is a little uncertain as well as he’s in the final year of his contract, and the team likely views Bouknight as the long-term answer at the shooting guard position.

Charlotte being able to sit tight at 11 and select the best player available in terms of upside, is a home run draft pick for me. Bouknight is a top 10 talent that has star potential and you can’t ask for much more than that with the 11th overall pick.