Among the Charlotte Hornets' rookies, Sion James is the least likely to crack the rotation in the near future despite the possibility that the Hornets could make good use of his perimeter defense skills. But if he progresses quickly into a Lu Dort-type of player, he could give them a compelling reason to insert him into the lineup.
The comparison to the Oklahoma City Thunder champion came from Owen O'Connor of Sports Illustrated. The sports scribe mentioned Dort as the potential ceiling for James, given the rookie's defensive prowess and consistently improving 3-point shot in college.
Splashing it from downtown wasn't initially part of James's game. In his first year in college, while playing for Tulane University, he converted 28.0 percent of his tries from downtown, attempting just 1.1 shots per contest from that range. By his fourth season, he raised his efficiency to 38.1 percent and 3-point field-goal attempts to 3.6 per match.
The defensive-minded swingman then decided to play one more year in college, entering the transfer portal and joining Duke University. In the 2024-25 campaign, he logged a career-high 41.3 percent shooting from long range, although he attempted just 1.9 shots per game from long distance. It still was an impressive feat, as he took a backseat to Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Tyrese Proctor on offense.
Hornets have a potential high-motor 3-and-D piece
Considering what he has shown to be capable of doing on the court, James isn't that long a shot to become the Hornets' own version of Dort. Hopefully, he can emulate the work ethic the former undrafted swingman has shown on his path to becoming a starter for a championship-winning squad. Besides his two-way talent, the Canadian hoopster has also sometimes been called the heart and soul of the Thunder.
Does that mean James can also crack Charlotte's starting lineup one day? Maybe he can do so if he progresses well enough and proves to be the perfect complement to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
The current roster also has a dearth of 3-and-D wings, with Josh Green so far being a disappointment as a Hornet, and the front office having no choice but to let go of Josh Okogie this summer because of a crowded roster.
While James will likely start the 2025-26 regular season spending much of his time in the G League, he has a prime opportunity to occasionally get the call-up from the Hornets because of his coveted skill set.