The 2023-24 season was yet another lost one for the Charlotte Hornets. Injuries deprived them from making the jump from the bottom of the league to competing for a potential play-in spot. LaMelo Ball played in just 22 games after playing in 36 games the year prior. Burgeoning second-year center Mark Williams appeared in only 19 games. As fate would have it, the Hornets cratered in the standings and would up selling players like PJ Washington and Terry Rozier at the trade deadline.

All hope is not lost in Charlotte, however. Brandon Miller finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind only Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. They have two extra first round picks coming their way in the future as a result of the Washington and Rozier trades. Charles Lee, their new incoming head coach, has interviewed for many other vacant positions before finally landing the Charlotte job. And on top of that, the Hornets have the third-best lottery odds in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft. They will have plenty of options with that pick, which could help them get back to competitiveness sooner than later.

Zaccharie Risacher, Forward, JL Bourg

One of those options should be French forward Zaccharie Risacher. Risacher currently plays for JL Bourg in the French league and has flashed intriguing potential. He's a 6-foot-9 210 pound forward who can really shoot the ball. He has shot 40.6% from three for his career, music to the ears of NBA brass across the league. That shooting threat allows him to attack closeouts and create off the dribble.

Risacher is also an outstanding defensive player who should be able to defend just about anybody on the floor with his size. He is quick and nimble enough to chase guards around the perimeter and big and long enough to make wings work to get their shot off. He checks a lot of boxes. The Hornets have a lot of needs to fill and Risacher would help with that. They should be thrilled if they have the chance to draft him.

Alex Sarr, Forward, Perth Wildcats

If they drafted him, Risacher would help Charlotte bolster a unit that ranked 29th in defensive efficiency. If they don't get the chance to snag him, they could also look to Alex Sarr to shore up that end of the floor. Sarr also has experience playing as a professional after spending the 2023-24 season with the Perth Wildcats of the NBL.

The Wildcats made it to the Finals of the Australian league and Sarr was a factor in their run. He played roughly 17 minutes per game and averaged 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks on a per-36-minute basis. His offensive game still has some work to do, but he is already tailor-made to defend in the NBA.

Related Charlotte Hornets NewsArticle continues below
Jarrett Allen photoshopped in Hornets jersey.
Hornets Jarrett Allen trade idea after Cavaliers postseason failure
Cooper Flagg, NBA, question marks all around
Ranking 3 best Cooper Flagg 2025 NBA Draft destinations

Miles Bridges is slated to be a free agent in the offseason. He's been Charlotte's starting power forward for years now. Though Sarr is generally known as a center and the Hornets already have Mark Williams to man that spot, NBA teams haven't been shy to play bigger lineups. Charlotte could try to replicate that and look to develop Sarr's perimeter skills. It would be worth trying at the very least.

Rob Dillingham, Guard, Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham (0) looks to pass the ball under pressure during their quarterfinal game against Texas A&M of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 15, 2024.
Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

With Rozier off to Miami, the Hornets could really use a guard who can get buckets. Kentucky's Rob Dillingham fits that bill. Dillingham only started one game for the Wildcats this season, but that didn't stop him from scoring in spades. He put up 26.1 points per 40 minutes and did so on efficient 47.5/49.5/44.4/79.6 shooting splits. When he gets hot he tends to stay hot.

The Hornets have a few combo guard options on their roster in Tre Mann and Nick Smith Jr. They're nice players, but they don't quite have the star power that Dillingham has. He could form an explosive trio with him, Ball, and Miller that few teams would have the capability of stopping. Dillingham should be very high on Charlotte's draft board.