The Charlotte Hornets are in an interesting situation in this year's NBA Draft. They hold the third pick in what many experts are saying is a three-player draft and all three of those players could also fit on their current team. However, there have been reports that the Hornets are willing to trade up to ensure that they get James Wiseman.
On the daily Locked On Hornets Podcast, hosts Walker Mehl and Nata Edwards discussed the rumors that the Hornets could trade up to get Wiseman with the first overall pick.
Walker Mehl: In this proposed trade based on Kevin O'Connor, he says the Hornets send their number three pick and their unprotected 2022 first-round pick to the Timberwolves for the number one selection in this year's NBA Draft … This is to select James Wiseman.
Nata Edwards: I don't mind James Wiseman at three, it makes a lot of sense … James Wiseman at three makes a lot of sense. If Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are gone … Wiseman barely makes sense at three. Wisemen doesn't make any sense at all if you're going to trade up for him, because people will people can continually bring up he's going to be a stationary rim protector. What about the way the Charlotte Hornets played defense last year, or the year before that, that tells you that they want that guy they want that rim protector? Or that they want that Giannis or Dwight Howard type of guy that we're just going to funnel to the rim and he's going to send everything away. They don't want that, Borrego has been hot and heavy on switch everything, blitz the pick and roll when we can. For what they're trying to do. It doesn't make any sense to trade up for this guy unless he's gonna be like Hakeem Olajuwon or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If you're certain then go ahead and do it, but you're going to have to explain it because it goes against everything that you've done up until this point.
Walker: I've been adamant about where I am on trading this number three overall selection. If you want to trade down, collect assets in return, and settle for the guys outside the top five, that's fine. However, to give up a first-round pick, even if it's not 2021, which is supposed to be the star-studded class … It doesn't matter if it's not 2021, I don't care. If you think about giving up a first-round pick to move up two slots for a player that absolutely could be potentially there at three overall … that would be asinine to me.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ttFsGli84mB9Amchi2bgr?si=crxxhmNkRcOO7XVbAraz7w