Hornets’ draft selection contributes to low offseason grade
It was not a flashy offseason for the Charlotte Hornets. The only big-time change was ownership, as Michael Jordan finally sold his majority stake in the team to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. When it comes to moves on the roster, Charlotte mostly retained players from last season while adding a couple of draft picks into the mix. But it is their selection with the second overall pick that appears to be a large factor in their low offseason grade.
The Hornets’ decision to select Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson continues to draw criticism. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes was not kind about the Hornets’ process, noting that the Hornets should be drafting based on talent and not position.
"“All of those positives were necessary for Charlotte to avoid a failing grade because its most consequential move, choosing Alabama wing Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson at No. 2 in the draft, could be a franchise-altering mistake.Henderson has superstar upside falling out of his pockets, while Miller, according to most of his pre-draft evaluations, lacks that same potential. The Hornets aren’t good enough to make draft decisions—especially ones this high in the lottery—on a positional basis. So what if Henderson, a point guard, overlaps with Ball? In this situation, you have to take the guy with the most upside.”"
With harsh words such as this, it is no surprise to see Charlotte receive a grade of D from Hughes. As he noted, Henderson was viewed as someone with superstar potential, while Miller is someone who may not be able to reach the heights of Henderson and could ultimately change the long-term future of the franchise.
The Hornets have a lot to prove, as they are still seen as a team that will not amount to much this season. The reality is the bar is relatively low in Charlotte. If they can win more games than last year and Miller can show something that can be built on, they should be able to receive a much more favorable grade next season.
