As the Charlotte Hornets prepare for the offseason, they will have lots of things to focus on, all of which should be geared toward trying to make the playoffs next year.
Simultaneously, they should be doing everything in their power to secure a bright future with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller leading the way. From the trade market to free agency, they should be getting better while also ensuring their future remains promising.
In addition, the Hornets need to put a huge focus on the 2024 NBA Draft. They have the sixth pick in the draft, meaning they will have a chance to add one of the class’ top prospects.
However, while their first-round pick is crucial, the Hornets should be casting a wide net in an attempt to find as much talent as they can in the draft, even if it’s just for their Summer League roster. And that seems to be what they’re doing.
NC State big man DJ Burns Jr. works out with Charlotte Hornets
According to HoopsHype’s database, NC State Big man DJ Burns Jr. has recently completed a pre-draft workout with the Hornets.
DJ Burns on IG: pic.twitter.com/SfTfD9CT3z
— Buzz (@buzz_szn) June 10, 2024
Burns helped lead the Wolfpack to an impressive Final Four run in the March Madness tournament, and he gained a ton of popularity on social media because of it. Denver Nuggets center and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic even spoke briefly about Burns, stating that he likes his game.
In his second season at NC State, his sixth year in college as a whole, Burns averaged 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting 53.1% from the field.
At 6-foot-9, Burns is pretty undersized to play the five in the NBA, but he seems to have lost a bunch of weight recently, meaning he may try to play the power forward spot should he get an opportunity at a higher level.
The 23-year-old big man turns 24 in October, so he will be one of the older rookies in the 2024 class, but he could still provide some intrigue, at the very least, during Summer League.
It seems relatively unlikely that Burns ends up contributing any sort of big-time minutes at the NBA level, but he would be a fun and interesting storyline to follow for Hornets fans.