The 2026 draft will see the Charlotte Hornets pick twice in the first round. Chances are, the second one will come from the Phoenix Suns. With one of their key players, Dillon Brooks, sustaining what could be a major injury, the value of that draft pick could get a boost.
Charlotte got the draft asset along with Jusuf Nurkic when it shipped Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic, and a future second-rounder to the Suns last year.
However, where the 2026 first-rounder will land in the draft order depends on the regular-season records of four teams, as it will be the least favorable of the picks of the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, and Suns. And as it stands right now, Phoenix has the best record, 33-24, among the four.
A predicament for the West condender
It remains to be seen, though, how the Suns will cope with the possible extended absence of Brooks. The rugged swingman will be out indefinitely after suffering a broken left hand in the first quarter of their nail-biting win over the Orlando Magic. There is still no timetable for now, but mild fractures typically require four to six weeks of recovery. If surgery is needed, he would likely miss at least two months.
Losing Brooks for a long while might be a huge blow to Phoenix and its intended playoff push. Everyone knows that he brings defense, physicality, toughness, and leadership to the table. However, he has also been an integral part of its offense, averaging 20.9 points per game, a career-high and second-best among all Suns players this year behind Devin Booker.
Speaking of the superstar, Booker is also expected to sit out at least a week’s worth of contests due to hip soreness. So, Phoenix is certainly in a precarious spot, although the Hornets aren’t complaining.
A lesson in roster-building
No one in Buzz City is rejoicing over a player of a different squad getting sidelined by an injury, even if it is someone like Brooks. On the other hand, owning a draft pick that could turn out to be more valuable than expected is certainly a welcome development.
It is also a testament to how shrewd the front office led by Jeff Peterson has been in wheeling and dealing with other organizations. Who could have expected it could turn a couple of expendable veterans into a first-round pick plus Nurkic, whom it eventually exchanged for a second-round selection and Collin Sexton? And as we all know, the Hornets cashed in the Sexton chip to acquire Coby White at this year’s trade deadline.
A few months from now, the Hornets could benefit from it with a first-round pick in the late teens. They would have more options with that asset in that case, especially considering how loaded the 2026 draft class is.