In less than two weeks, fans will finally know what the Charlotte Hornets will do in the draft. They have various options with the No. 4 pick, and given how the chatter has developed surrounding it, the club seems like it will hold onto it and continue its asset acquisition efforts.
If the Hornets had any of the top-two selections, chances are their draft plans would have been a lot more straightforward. Taking either Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper seems to be a no-brainer move, especially for a rebuilding team.
However, landing at fourth kind of left Charlotte in no man's land. The drop-off in talent or potential after the presumptive top-two picks has been well-documented, and the organization will have to wait on who comes off the board at No. 3 before it is able to finalize its decision.
Some ideas for the Hornets to trade the pick to go up or down in the draft order have been broached, especially after the rumor that the San Antonio Spurs could be open to dealing the second overall pick may have given some fans hope of seeing Buzz City crash the party for the opportunity to land Dylan Harper. On the other hand, trading down could be the ideal route for Charlotte if its preferred prospect is unlikely to be taken early, as it could net the franchise additional assets.
Hornets are most likely going to keep things simple
The front office has kept mum about which draft candidate it is keeping an eye on, although that hasn't stopped some sports scribes from speculating on its plans or putting out suggestions on what it should do. The draftees that have been mentioned the most are VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, Tre Johnson, and Kon Knueppel.
As it appears, all four have looked worthy of going No. 4 in the draft as time has passed by.
Fit-wise, Edgecombe should still have the edge among the Hornets' top brass because of his elite athleticism and defense, both of which would make him the perfect swingman to slot beside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
Bailey looks like he could be a steal even with the fourth overall pick or a draft bust, given his immense offensive upside and glaring limitations. However, the Rutgers University product might very well be the next Kevin Durant if his development progresses as expected.
Johnson-to-Charlotte seems to have been ignored in recent discussions. Yet, his ability to shoot lights out from the perimeter should have caught the Hornets' attention. An underrated aspect of his game that could further lure in the franchise is his ability to turn pressure into scoring chances for his teammates during college. Having another shot-creator could give Buzz City's sorry offense a needed boost.
A wild card option could be Knueppel, but some people have warmed up to the idea of the Hornets using their No. 4 pick on the Duke University product. He might be the most polished offensive player among his draft classmates, which could allow him to carve out a rotation role right at the gate.
Charlotte certainly has plenty of fine choices for its first selection in the 2025 draft. It's up to the front office to determine who among them would be the best guy to bring in.