The next 3 Hornets to make the all-star game
By Ben Handler
![Oct 27, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) gives forward Brandon Miller (24) a high five Oct 27, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) gives forward Brandon Miller (24) a high five](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4158,h_2338,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/179/01hpymxywp7466vt89sa.jpg)
The Hornets' 2024 first-round draft pick
This may come off as snark, but it’s not intended that way. Looking up and down the current Hornets roster, I’m just not sure they have another future all-star. Bridges has warranted consideration, but as the team gets better and healthier, his role will likely diminish some.
That’s not intended to be a knock on Miles, who has had a really nice year and could be an elite role player on a good team, I’m just not sure he’s ever going to reach all-star level.
The only other player you could really make a case for is Mark Williams, and that case is almost entirely hypothetical. Even at his peak, Williams is likely a stout defensive anchor, but I’m not sure he’ll ever put up the offensive stats to become an all-star.
This leads me to look outside of the current roster, and the least clouded path to acquiring a future all-star is via this year’s first-round draft pick. Recent three-game winning streak aside, the Hornets have been near the bottom of the standings all season, and are clearly one of the worst teams in the league.
As it stands, they have the fourth worst record in the league, meaning they have a 12.5% chance at the #1 overall pick, a 12.2% chance at #2, an 11.9% chance at #3, and an 11.5% chance at #4. The worst they could possibly fall is the 8th overall pick and that’s only a 2.2% chance.
This isn’t projected to be the greatest draft ever, but there are all-stars to be found in every draft, and picking in the top 5 or so helps the odds of finding an all-star tremendously. There are sure to be some all-star caliber players selected around where the Hornets' pick ultimately falls. There’s no reason Charlotte can’t be a team to snag one of those players and add a guy who could be vying for a spot on the all-star team within a couple of years.