Rookie Sion James is an interesting piece for the Charlotte Hornets because of his potential to be a dependable perimeter stopper. Unfortunately, he might not be able to crack the rotation unless he adds some flavor to his offense. Probably the most obvious skill he can add to his bag is driving to the rim at will.
James was recently spotted undergoing offseason training, apparently focusing on working on his handles and outside shooting. Based on the video, though, it looks like he still has some room for improvement in the dribbling department. The positive sign is that he seems busy in the gym despite training camp still being weeks away from opening.
Hopefully, the Duke University product turns out to be as good as advertised on defense and can improve so much on offense that he won't be a blackhole.
Sion James could be more than just a 3-and-D piece for Hornets
One of the projections for the 22-year-old rookie is that he can be a 3-and-D wing option in Charlotte. As it turns out, the squad has a desperate need for such a guy. At the moment, only Josh Green has the skill set to qualify for the all-important role on the Hornets, although he has not fulfilled the responsibility to a tee.
With James shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point during his fourth year with Tulane University before upping his efficiency to 41.3 percent after transferring to Duke, he certainly has the tools to be a potent sniper for the Hornets. But what if he can be more than just a floor spacer on the offensive side? What if he can be entrusted to initiate the offense and break down defenses to open up scoring opportunities for his teammates?
The Georgia native already has experience setting up his teammates, as Duke tasked him with facilitating the offense at times. In response, he was second on the team in average assists with 2.9 dimes per game. He also ranked third in the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio with 2.4.
Intriguingly, the Hornets may have a need for a reliable backup pass-first point guard. Spencer Dinwiddie should fill that role early on, but his stint in Charlotte is unlikely to last long, considering that he has just turned 32.
Collin Sexton, Tre Mann, and even Kon Knueppel could also take turns serving as the primary playmaker for bench units. However, Sexton and Mann are known for their score-first tendencies, while Knueppel actually dished out fewer assists per contest than his fellow Blue Devil in the 2024-25 campaign.
On some nights, Charlotte will likely bring out KJ Simpson to give him some runs. He is coming off an impressive Summer League run, although he has yet to prove that he can be efficient in getting buckets and taking care of the ball.
So, there's an opportunity for James to fill one of the Hornets' glaring needs and make a leap in the depth chart should he prove capable of handling the rock well and facilitating the offense.