Yahoo Sports: Cody Williams, Forward, Colorado
Krysten Peek is the draft expert for Yahoo, and she has the Hornets taking 6’8” forward from Colorado, Cody Williams. Williams is the younger brother of up-and-coming Thunder star Jalen Williams, so we already know the genetic makeup is strong.
But Cody isn’t the same player as his brother, at least not right now. He’s a bit bigger than Jalen but still has a lot of bulking up to do in order to fill out his 6’8” frame. But he’s a very good defender and can hold his own guarding inside and out.
He’s a good playmaker and can run an offense and some pick-and-roll actions well for his size, but so far he hasn’t shown much ability to shoot threes with any consistency. If he can improve his jump shot and add muscle, the sky's the limit for Williams, who’s not even 20 years old yet.
Williams would be a nice fit in Charlotte, forming a potentially vaunted defensive frontcourt alongside Mark Williams. They would be menacing inside with size and athleticism. Offensively, he could provide secondary playmaking and possibly play out of the dunker spot.
The issue with Williams would really come down to the three-point shot. In the modern NBA, it’s extremely hard to play multiple players who can’t stretch the floor at all. The Hornets don’t really have any floor-spacing big men and Williams isn’t nearly big or strong enough to play center even in small-ball lineups.
Ultimately, if the Hornets think Williams can be a star they definitely shouldn’t pass based on a potential lack of fit with the current roster. But things could get a little clogged up on offense if he doesn’t develop as a shooter, and you’d be asking an awful lot out of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.