3 Projected Hornets Picks at No. 6 in NBA Draft
By Joe Summers
The Hornets will draft No. 6 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft at the end of June. They've got many holes on the roster and as a result, Charlotte has a variety of directions it can go with the pick.
New head coach Charles Lee is rebuilding the roster in his image and expectations are high to build a solid core around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. If the Hornets are going to escape the lottery purgatory moving forward, they need to nail this selection.
Tons of outlets are already publishing mock drafts following the lottery, so we've got an idea at what players could wind up joining Charlotte. With that in mind, let's take a look at three potential projected Hornets picks below.
3 Projected Hornets NBA Draft Picks
1. Matas Buzelis, F - G League Ignite
Buzelis is a rangy, versatile forward who shot 43.1% from beyond the arc during his senior year of high school. He'd be a perfect fit alongside Ball and averaged over 14 points per game with the Ignite this season.
CBS Sports has Charlotte taking Buzelis in their latest mock draft. Kyle Boone writes, "In a league dominated by power wings with big frames, Charlotte swings once again for a huge upside prospect in Buzelis to pair with point guard LaMelo Ball and 2023 No. 2 pick Brandon Miller. Buzelis has a huge frame and immense potential to grow into a versatile forward who can dribble, pass and shoot."
That offensive versatility makes Buzelis a natural fit with Ball and Miller, theoretically giving the Hornets a trio of players with shooting chops to build the team around.
Projected top five pick, Matas Buzelis, performed well in today’s athletic testing portion of the NBA Draft Combine.
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) May 13, 2024
Showed his explosiveness w/ a 38” max vertical leap.
Also moved quite well in the pro lane drill, finishing in 10.73 seconds (a top five time so far). pic.twitter.com/jfPNutWfle
He's grown to 6'10" but isn't as strong of a defender as some other prospects available in this range. Given Ball and Miller's vulnerabilities on the defensive end, Charlotte may look to a more capable defender instead.
However, it's hard not to salivate at the floor-spacing and possibilities on offense. Buzelis shot only 27.3% from beyond the arc with the Ignite, but he's always been a good shooter so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He'll need to impress with his shooting in pre-draft workouts to show the Hornets they can feel comfortable with him.