An under-the-radar choice for the Charlotte Hornets at No. 4 in this year's draft is Kon Knueppel. He hasn't been as mentioned as much as the likes of VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, and Tre Johnson. However, talks of the Hornets potentially taking the Duke University product have been increasing recently, and that may be a double-edged sword for the organization.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN went as far as to say that he would be the "best value" pick for Charlotte because his skill set could make him the perfect complement to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. He has shown efficient marksmanship from the perimeter and solid playmaking abilities.
Knueppel's lone season in college also showed his incredible feel for the game. Chances are that he won't just be a spot-up or catch-and-shoot threat in the NBA. His proficiency as a ball-handler, polished footwork, and impressive court vision could allow him to become a rotation player, or even a starter, earlier than anticipated.
Based on what we've seen from the Hornets in the 2024-25 campaign, the front office has to bring in players this summer who can contribute immediately, which Knueppel projects to be if he were in Charlotte.
One of the challenges the team faced was fielding guys who could produce instead of merely doing cardio on the court. Injuries, of course, were a major culprit behind that unfortunate reality. Still, Jeff Peterson and company needed to do a better job of identifying guys who could not just bring the energy but also pad the stat sheets even a bit.
Kon Knueppel wouldn't be a slam-dunk pick for Hornets
But while Knueppel could do a lot for Charlotte on offense, he could become a liability on the other end of the floor.
So far in his hoops career, he hasn't shown the ability to make use of his 6-7 frame to offer better resistance on defense. The 19-year-old has a lot of work to do to prove that he will be capable of keeping up with quicker perimeter players and chasing opponents through on-ball and off-ball screens.
Perhaps the weakness wouldn't be as pronounced if he were playing with teammates who are worth a lick on defense, and it's no secret that Ball and Miller are net-negative defenders for now. So, Knueppel could find it tough to find minutes alongside the Hornets' foundational pieces, especially during crunch time. There's a two-way reason why many pundits and Buzz City fans are high on Edgecombe.
In addition, Charlotte might want to target a potential star with its fourth overall pick. And frankly speaking, Knueppel doesn't appear to have the star quality that the Hornets are in desperate need of. He projects to be an elite role player at best.
While Charlotte could immensely benefit from his sharpshooting and shot-making, the squad has to resist its addiction to chaos in the draft and focus on squeezing the most value out of its coveted asset this offseason.