With the draft just around the corner, there are still question marks around who will be the number one pick in the NBA Draft. This causes more uncertainty for the other teams that are picking after the Atlanta Hawks like the Charlotte Hornets and everybody else. There's no telling who will fall into Charlotte's lap. Some players' draft stocks have also risen and fallen over the last couple of weeks. So, here are a couple bold predictions about what the Charlotte Hornets should do for the draft.
Trade the pick for an established star-caliber player
It's been said for the last few months that this is one of the weaker draft classes in recent memory. Heck it's the day before the event and no one can guarantee who the first player off the board will be. Still, there's a chance that some of these players could potentially grow into star players either way. If there are teams that are looking to unload a star and rebuild for a better future, that 6th pick could be interesting to some.
Think of the Chicago Bulls or Atlanta Hawks. Both Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray could fit well in Charlotte. Chicago has been shopping LaVine for a while and with DeMar DeRozan's future in question with the team, it could be something to keep an eye on. Atlanta is looking to move Murray or Trae Young, but Murray would fit nicely alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Plus, they'll get two building blocks that way instead of just one with the first overall pick.
The Hornets will take Zach Edey with the 6th pick
Although Donovan Clingan is likely to be the second big off the board behind Alexander Sarr, Zach Edey's draft stock has taken a leap after the national championship game in April. He's 7'4 and 300 pounds and has solid touch around the rim to finish out of the dunkers spot. Yes, he would be slower than most other centers, but he could be a mismatch for the defense from day one. With that size he should be able to protect the rim and rebound at a high level over time.
Everybody is a question mark in terms of how they might pan out, but why not gamble on the two-time player of the year? Most mock drafts have him going mid to late first round. Barring nothing drastic, he should be available at six.
The draft's unpredictability makes these moves feasible. It makes sense why a guy like Edey is low on most team's draft boards and he will likely fall right outside the lottery. No one really knows how each team's board looks or how high a team is on a certain prospect. Or if teams just rather move the pick for a player or future draft assets. Let's see how the chips fall on Wednesday night for round one.
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