Charlotte Hornets: Could Brice Help?
The Charlotte Hornets could look at some out of the box solutions like drafting Brice Johnson or signing Marcus Paige.
The Charlotte Hornets are among a number of teams at the NBA Combine this week. Also at the Combine are North Carolina seniors Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige. Is there a scenario where the Hornets would consider drafting or bringing in either Heel for next season?
Let’s start with Brice Johnson. The last predraft piece that we wrote suggested that the Hornets should have some interest in taking center A.J. Hammons of Purdue with the twenty-second pick in the draft. That was based on Hammons’ skill set and the Hornets’ needs. However there outside observers making mock drafts that are not convinced Hammons should even be rated as a first rounder.
If that is the case, the Hornets will be looking elsewhere at twenty-two. They could still use shot blocking and athleticism. Johnson does both of those things, but at closer to 6’9” he is not really a center prospect. Do the Hornets need a center exactly from their draft spot?
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Perhaps not. With Frank Kaminsky at the hypothetical starting center, the Hornets would have the shooting and flexibility they would need on offense and some height at the defensive end. Therefore you stick someone like Johnson next to Kaminsky to be an inside finisher on offense and add some rim protection on defense.
That arrangement would mean that Johnson could pair up with either Kaminsky or Spencer Hawes without too much trouble. There would be some spacing issues with Cody Zeller that would come into play if Zeller and not Kaminsky was the starter.
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The main concern with Johnson is communication on the defensive end. The NBA still does a lot of screen and roll action, and ACC teams would find gaps in how Johnson responded to those types of plays. Those gaps become more dangerous as the NBA has better shooters.
For Paige, the Hornets have no second rounder. He would have be picked up after the draft. If he was he could become what Brian Roberts was during much of this past season. That would be the third string guard. In a ball movement and shooter friendly offense like the Hornets, Paige would be a natural fit. The issue is whether his consistency will come back.
The point is that the Hornets could find something to do with both Tar Heels if they have to get creative with their first round pick. It is still more likely that the Hornets would draft a seven footer, but it is something to thing about.