The Charlotte Hornets have likely moved on from Mark Williams' short-lived and rocky tenure with the franchise. However, it's hard to forget that they, or the previous ownership, to be more precise, chose him over Jalen Duren in the 2022 draft. Three years later, the difference between the two big men is night and day.
The summer of 2022 saw the Hornets choose twice in the first round of the draft — their own No. 13 pick and the No. 15 from the New Orleans Pelicans, thanks to a trade the year before. They used the first selection on Duren, only to ship him to the Detroit Pistons via the New York Knicks shortly after.
Many fans expressed frustration with the move, as Duren was a highly touted prospect coming into the draft, who, for some reason, slid to the 13th spot. However, then-Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak argued that having two more below-21 players when they already brought in three rookies in 2021 would be a hindrance to their goals. Considering that they had Williams ranked ahead of the former University of Memphis standout on their draft board, the Hornets opted to send the latter packing for draft capital.
Regretting the move
In hindsight, Charlotte should have held onto Duren, as he has transformed into the star the Pistons had envisioned him to be during that fateful summer. He has helped lead his team to the top of the Eastern Conference standings and second overall in the league with a 15-2 record. The 22-year-old center also appears to be the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award, averaging 20.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game on 67.1 percent shooting.
Beyond his surprising statistical production, what's equally remarkable is his evolution from being a rim-running big man who was a defensive liability into a shot-creator who can beat opponents off the dribble and a dependable defensive anchor.
In many ways, the Hornets could have benefited from sticking with Duren. Making matters worse was that Williams spent more time on the sidelines than in a jersey with the Hornets. When he did suit up, he couldn't silence his critics despite some impressive outings because of his lack of motor, defense, and consistency. With the Phoenix Suns this season, he looks healthier than ever, but he has been more like a role player than a star.
Interestingly, the first-round pick Charlotte received in the Duren deal turned out to be Nick Smith Jr., whom it waived this past offseason. So, in essence, it got nothing in return for the Pistons star.
The bright side for the Hornets is that the emergence of Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabate has made center one of their positions of strength. Does either Kalkbrenner or Diabate have the same ceiling as Duren, though? Not likely. Would the organization choose to make the same move if it were to redo its 2022 draft decision? Probably not. But at least it has a pair of young promising bigs to make up for the previous management's error in choosing Williams over Duren.