It's not exactly a secret that the Charlotte Hornets have made some unorthodox draft selections in their history, and that predates the current management group. As we look ahead to next month's NBA Draft, there may appear to be somewhat of an expected order when it comes to the top four picks in the draft. But it's very possible the Hornets throw us for a loop yet again.
Let's take a quick look back at some brief draft history, shall we? In 2021, Charlotte owned the 11th pick in the lottery. In later years, we would typically see them pass on taking guard prospects to avoid crowding LaMelo Ball's backcourt. But in this draft, James Bouknight was a projected top 10 pick that had fallen, and the Hornets pounced on the opportunity.
2022 may have been the most normal recent year for Charlotte when picking in the first round. Trading back from 13th to 15th, they gave Jalen Duren to Detroit while selecting Mark Williams themselves. Then in 2023, it was another case of passing on a guard in Scoot Henderson in order to take Brandon Miller. This pick of course ended up being the right choice, but it was still unconventional at the time.
Last summer's draft saw one of the biggest gambles the Hornets have taken in recent memory. Rolling the dice on French prospect Tidjane Salaun, Charlotte surprised everyone in not selecting a player like Donovan Clingan or Rob Dillingham, both of whom were drafted with the following two picks.
We may see the Hornets make an unconventional selection at pick 4
With all that in mind, it's not hard to imagine the Hornets shaking things up yet again when June 25 comes around. Obviously, Cooper Flagg is the consensus top pick. After that, many see Dylan Harper as a near-consensus selection at second overall. Many mock drafts have Ace Bailey or VJ Edgecombe slated to go third overall to the Philadelphia 76ers (if they don't trade the pick).
After Philly picks, it would make sense for Charlotte to take whichever of Bailey or Edgecombe the Sixers don't. But that may or may not be the strategy the Hornets actually end up going with on draft night.
The plan Jeff Peterson has is not exactly crystal clear right now, anyway. That's not to say the Hornets aren't on a winning trajectory in the long-term, but there's a lot we don't know about what he has up his sleeve in the coming months.
After attempting to trade Mark Williams in February, there's no telling who's truly an untouchable on this roster and who isn't. Perhaps Charlotte decides for one reason or another that they'll want more scoring and shooting power in their backcourt. If that's the case, they may end up taking a leap of faith on guys like Kon Knueppel or Tre Johnson.
But truth be told, it feels like we have no idea what the Hornets will do with their fourth overall pick. Taking an Edgecombe or a Bailey might still seem like the most likely outcome, but I wouldn't bet on it.