In The Ringer’s latest mock draft, updated Wednesday by Danny Chau, the Hornets go all‑in on the frontcourt—using both of their first‑round picks on big men. Charlotte selects Jayden Quaintance at No. 14 and Hannes Steinbach at No. 18, a double‑dip strategy that immediately raises eyebrows. While most expect the Hornets to target the frontcourt with at least one of their picks, passing on the best player available twice could become a decision they regret.
Taking two bigs in the same round sends a very clear message about how Charlotte views the players already on the roster. With Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Grant Willams and Tidjane Salaun (among others) already fighting for minutes, adding Quaintance and Steinbach would make the rotation very complicated.
This mock draft forces a real conversation about fit, development, and whether the Hornets would be solving problems or simply creating new ones.
The frontcourt depth would be incredibly crowded with the additions of Quaintance and Steinbach.
Because the NBA continues trending toward positionless basketball, it’s fair to group Quaintance and Steinbach into the broader “bigs” category. In that same bucket are Bridges, Diabate, Kalkbrenner, Salaun, and Williams. That’s a lot of mouths to feed.
The most realistic outcome if Charlotte drafts both prospects is that one becomes a starter within a year while the other settles into a rotational role. Bridges and Williams are on expiring deals, and either players could be replaced if Quaintance and Steinbach show promise early.
Quaintance is a long‑term project due to his age and limited reps following injury, but his defensive upside is enormous. Steinbach, meanwhile, would immediately challenge Diabate as the team’s best rebounder.
If Diabate opens the season as the presumptive starter next to Bridges, that leaves Salaun, Williams, Kalkbrenner, Quaintance, and Steinbach all competing for minutes. At that point, the frontcourt becomes frustratingly congested, and it’s easy to imagine Charlotte eventually moving on from someone like Salaun simply due to a variety of reasons beyond congestion.
A better option for Charlotte may be to take the best player available at another position
Competition for the bigs wouldn’t be the worst outcome for this roster, but there’s a real case that adding a guard or even a wing offers a more balanced team-building approach. With Jeff Peterson openly expressing interest in this year’s guard class, it wouldn’t be surprising if he targeted a prospect like Labaron Philon Jr. or Bennett Stirtz with one of the first‑round picks, should either be available.
Securing another ballhandler behind LaMelo Ball is simply smart roster insurance, especially with Coby White’s future far from guaranteed. On the wing, players such as Cameron Carr or Nate Ament would be strong bets to bolster depth.
Double‑dipping at center wouldn’t be disastrous, but the Hornets should treat these two first‑round selections as opportunities to explore every avenue. These picks are pivotal—capable of reshaping the roster into a legitimate contender as soon as next season.
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