Old North Banter
Fansided

Hornets Spurn LaMelo Ball Reports in Latest NBA Mock Draft

In his last NBA mock draft, Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer has Charlotte addressing its backcourt.

By Jovan Alford

Jan 24, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena.
Jan 24, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

After a disappointing 2023-24 season where they only won 21 games, the Charlotte Hornets landed the sixth overall pick despite having the third-best odds to win the No. 1 overall pick.

The Hornets and their new head coach Charles Lee could go in many directions at No. 6 overall to add to their young nucleus of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams. Based on what they have, the Hornets will probably not look to add a guard as they have Ball.

However, the 22-year-old Ball only played in 22 games this season due to an ankle injury. Also, Ball has only played 58 games over the last two seasons. That said, maybe the Hornets might need to reconsider addressing the backcourt in this month’s NBA draft.

In his latest NBA mock draft, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has Charlotte taking former UConn guard Stephon Castle. If the Hornets go that route, it would be shocking as Castle reportedly isn’t working out for teams with starting point guards.

The Hornets fit in that category, but O’Connor likes Castle’s fit next to Ball as he can defend and create his own shot.

"“Castle reportedly isn’t conducting workouts for teams with point guards already in place. So, why Charlotte here? Because LaMelo Ball has always thrived when sharing the backcourt with another shot creator. Castle would provide a great balance because of his versatile defense and complementary skills. With their shared size, plus with Brandon Miller at forward, the Hornets would have a trio of massive primary ball handlers.”"

- Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer

This past season with UConn, Castle proved to be one of the better freshmen in the country as he averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. The freshman combo guard shot 47.2 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Castle has to become a better three-point shooter at the next level, but his defense is stellar as he had a 99.3 defensive rating (DRtg). The young combo guard wants to be a point guard at the next level, but he could be a part of an explosive backcourt with Ball.

More Hornets news and analysis:

feed

Home/Charlotte Hornets