The Hornets get some defensive talent and scoring upside with their two picks in the teens.
SB Nation has done its annual community mock draft, and the Charlotte Hornets came away with a couple of pieces that should be able to contribute immediately. Here’s what we got:
13th pick: Johnny Davis, Guard Wisconsin
This was kind of an awkward pick to make because very rarely does the board fall this way in mock drafts. Johnny Davis isn’t a perfect fit with LaMelo Ball and he’s quite redundant with James Bouknight because of his ball dominant, score-first nature. But it never hurts to have too much talent on the wings, and Davis could function as a more offensive minded replacement for free-agent-to-be Cody Martin. He should become a passable enough shooter to play in an offball role and can also fill in at point for stretches if needed.
The redundancy between Davis, Bouknight, and Terry Rozier will probably have to be addressed at some point in the future, but the Hornets are still just acquiring talent at this point.
15th pick: Mark Williams, Big, Duke
Mason Plumlee is not a long term solution at the center spot and Montrezl Harrell’s future is in question with pending marijuana-related charges. The Hornets have needed a strong defender at the center position for a long time now, and Williams fits that bill perfectly.
This pick is a perfect blend of best player available and need. Williams has a massive reach and the upside to anchor a defense. He’s been mocked to the Hornets by just about every outlet, and this selection makes too much sense to not happen if Williams is on the board when the Hornets are on the clock. Williams along with last year’s selection of Kai Jones and PJ Washington’s ability to play small ball five should solidify the Hornets center rotation for years to come.