There is a lot riding on this offseason for the Charlotte Hornets and their hopes of one day becoming a contender. Key roster decisions will have to be made, including determining which among the current set of players are worth holding onto or letting go.
The organization should be busy in the trade market and free agency. After all, it can't go on using injuries as an excuse for its continuous struggles. The roster, while filled with players with the talent or potential, is lacking the needed pieces that can help the Hornets get over the hump.
Another avenue for Charlotte to improve is the draft, of course. Currently sporting the third-worst record in the league, it has a 14.0 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick if the draft lottery was done today. However, the Hornets still have a one-in-three chance to fall to the sixth or seventh spot. Rising on the standings would naturally increase their odds of falling further in the draft order.
Hornets have to learn from the potential long-term mistake in last year's draft
So, while the dream is to get the first overall pick or maybe not fall lower than third, Charlotte has to be prepared for the prospect of dropping to an unwanted position in the 2025 draft.
Whatever the outcome may be, the front office should've learned from its possible miscalculation in selecting Tidjane Salaun in 2024.
Picking up one of the youngest players of the draft and a prospect that many agreed still possessed unpolished skills was a huge gamble for the Hornets.
However, the move also signified that they weren't planning to fast-track the rebuild because if that wasn't the case, they would have aimed for rookies who could be immediate contributors. In hindsight, the players who have done much better than Salaun has so far despite being selected later include Donovan Clingan, Zach Edey, Matas Buzelis, Bub Carrington, Dalton Knecht, and a pre-injury Jared McCain.
In Charlotte's defense, it zeroed in on Salaun for his upside, and while he has shown flashes of it, his rookie campaign has been quite disappointing. He has a long way to go before becoming even an average offensive player and has looked lost on defense more often than not. As a silver lining, the French youngster's motor and athleticism have been nothing to scoff at.
Only time will tell if the Hornets indeed made a mistake in their Salaun decision. However, they have to toss out that mindset this summer coming into the draft, as they need to find a prospect with obvious star potential and who can raise their ceiling instead of settling for another project pick.