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With the 2024 NBA Draft quickly approaching, it’s that time of the year where teams are looking to add franchise players. Others are looking to at least add cornerstones to add to their cores. The Charlotte Hornets fall into the latter. Armed with the 6th pick in the draft, there is a few different options available that could help them take a major leap in the 2024-25 season. With LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller already in place, one more piece can help fill out their depth.
1. Matas Buzelis
If he’s not selected before the Hornets draft in the No. 6 spot, Matas Buzelis would be a seamless fit alongside the rest of the pieces on the roster. Buzelis is another 6-foot-8 wing who could likely see some minutes at the 2-guard spot depending on the lineup.
He is a capable scorer and can operate both inside and out. He can’t exactly create space with his handle quite yet out of half-court sets, but with Ball and Miller that won’t be a major issue for him.
Today’s NBA features a lot of bigger wing players. Adding another one on the roster whether he starts or not will add more versatility to the offense for 1st year head coach to get creative and complicate defensive schemes for the opposition. This seems like a solid pickup, but it might be a little bit of reach that he’ll be available outside of the top five.
2. Stephon Castle
Stephon Castle is Charlotte-bound in just about every mock draft that’s out at the moment. Fresh off of a national championship at UConn, Castle has good size at the shooting guard spot. At 6-foot-6 215 pounds, he can step in and play in just about any team’s rotation. He’s a physical guard who can finish around the rim, defend, and even create for others. He did it at UConn and should be able to do it at the next level.
His outside shooting is still a work in progress, but we’ve seen players with his skill set step in and be effective. Defense first players that develop their offense later. Think Jimmy Butler, Paul George, and others. Not to say he’ll end up like them, but the mold for him to follow is there.
3. Ron Holland
Another name that’s been linked to the Charlotte Hornets since April is Ron Holland. Like Castle, Holland is not the best shooter from distance. What he lacks in outside shooting, he makes up for it in defense and strong finishing around the rim. He’s likely one of the better athletes in the NBA draft so in the open floor he’ll thrive and move well without the ball in the half-court.
Holland is another wing player who will just have to earn his minutes on the defensive end of the floor. He still would have the potential to be a solid two-way player if developed properly.
The NBA draft isn’t just about fit. Taking the best player available could be the plan general managers follow rather than selecting the player that might fit better than the other. If that is the name of the game, Charlotte could be looking to add the best player available in order to elevate their young core. It’ll be interesting to see what direction this team goes in moving forward.
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