It may have taken just one season for the Charlotte Hornets to realize that Josh Green is not the 3-and-D player he had been advertised to be. Instead of waiting for the 24-year-old to realize his supposed potential, the Hornets can turn to the draft this summer and find a way to steal Drake Powell.
The Durham, North Carolina native projects to be a late first-round pick, but given how fluid the scouting reports have been, he could be selected earlier or later in the second round. If Charlotte doesn't want to leave it up to chance, the team can try to obtain another first-round selection by using its pair of early second-rounders.
Powell may not be better than Green right off the bat, although he appears to have a better upside.
Hornets should try to steal land the homegrown prospect
Some scouting reports identify the University of North Carolina product's strengths as his defensive versatility and potentially multi-faceted offensive bag.
On defense, he used his 6-6 frame, chiseled physique, impressive athleticism, and lateral quickness to hound opponents during his lone season in college. He may not have produced the counting stats that some folks probably would have wanted to see more from him, but his IQ, motor, and work ethic were evident on most nights.
Offensively, Powell was able to score in a variety of ways. He proved to be an explosive finisher at the rim, and he was pretty from long range, connecting on 40.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts. He also displayed the tools to be a secondary shot-creator and some limited court vision, which means that there shouldn't be too much concern that his only response to ball pressure would be to shoot the ball.
If Powell's skill set sounds familiar to Hornets fans, that's probably because it was what they expected Green to demonstrate when the squad brought him in last offseason. What could make the incoming rookie a greater option for the franchise, aside from the upside, naturally, is that he is younger and would have a more cost-effective contract.
It remains to be seen if Charlotte will give the Australian swingman another chance next season or ship him to a new home. But even if the former turns out to be the case, the front office should still consider going after Powell to give the team more depth and insurance if Green disappoints once more. The Hornets could have some competition, though, because the prospect's stock has been rising by the day.