Who the Charlotte Hornets Should Target in the 2015 NBA Draft
As the offseason begins for those not fortunate enough to earn a playoff berth, the Charlotte Hornets shift their focus to the 2015 NBA draft. They can ill afford to whiff on another lottery pick after coming up empty so many times in recent years. Given the team's uncertain state in general, this selection will be as critical as ever before.
With just a 1.7 percent chance to snag the top pick in the draft, Charlotte should be prepared to select No. 9, should everything go according to the odds. It won't be in play for consensus top prospects Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, but there will definitely be impact players available no matter where the Hornets end up.
Charlotte needs a splash to help truly bring back the buzz.
Here are three guys Charlotte has to take a long look at in the lottery.
Stanley Johnson
The 6'7" 245-pound freshman averaged only 13.8 points in his freshman year at Arizona, but the perceived one-and-done talent is much more than that.
Johnson is an offensive force who knows how to use his strength to his advantage. He also knocked down 37 percent from deep. Most importantly, he has four California high school state championships under his belt, so he is a proven winner.
Sean Miller's regime at Arizona doesn't allow for one player to stand out far above the pack, much like Kentucky. The Wildcats preach team defense and unselfishness on offense. As a result, there were games where Johnson was an afterthought, but the talent was never in question.
Charlotte is in no position to be drafting based on needs. The presence of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at small forward should not be enough to deter the front office from pulling the trigger here. Keep in mind, Charlotte did just draft two power forwards from the same school in consecutive lotteries, with Noah Vonleh and Cody Zeller out of Indiana.
Johnson did play some shooting guard alongside Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at Arizona. Charlotte could also elect to go small at times a-la the Golden State Warriors with Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes up front.
The team has to go for talent, and Johnson's tenacity on both ends would fit right in. He may not be available with the potential No. 9 pick, but the Hornets cannot look away if he is.
In fact, Johnson might not even be available at all. He is rumored to have a sour taste in his mouth from losing in the Elite 8 to Wisconsin and is strongly considering a sophomore campaign in Tucson, according to Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star.
Johnson may still need work in terms of finishing around the rim and creating off the dribble, but his offensive talents are undeniable. He can score in a multitude of ways and would immediately be an impact talent for the Hornets.
They need someone who can put the ball in the hole efficiently and consistently. Johnson could certainly be the go-to scorer they need for years to come.
Willie Cauley-Stein
According to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer, Al Jefferson has no intentions of opting out of his deal this offseason, citing "unfinished business." If he comes back for one more campaign, Jefferson will certainly need someone to pass the torch to.
Enter the tenacious Willie Cauley-Stein.
Charlotte's most glaring need is clearly outside shooting; the Hornets were last in the NBA with a 31.5 percent success rate in that department in 2014-15.
However, picking Cauley-Stein would further establish the team's identity as a feisty defensive squad. Jefferson took steps back as a rim protector this past year, and Bismack Biyombo is a restricted free agent. Someone has to protect the paint, and nobody did it better in the NCAA than the Kentucky 7-foot junior.
Cauley-Stein projects to be, at worst, a poor man's Tyson Chandler. He was the main reason why Kentucky's defense ranked third nationally in blocked shots, opponent field-goal percentage and points allowed.
For all that's made about his offense, it's not as bad as you might think. WCS did improve his free-throw percentage from 37.2 to 61.7 in three seasons, so he won't be the liability that someone such as Biyombo is. He even began to display a little jump hook and 15-footer that implies he is not the inept offensive talent he is made out to be.
If Charlotte still has faith in Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh, which it should, it needs an anchor like WCS. Zeller and Vonleh are going to stretch the floor, but that cannot be done successfully without someone patrolling around the rim doing the dirty work. The Biyombo experiment could be over due to his restricted free agency. The Hornets still need their center of the future.
Most of all, Charlotte needs excitement. Few, if any players showed up on the highlight reels as often as WCS this past season. His thunderous dunks and hustle plays would light a fire under a team and a fanbase that desperately needs it. For a franchise that tried to bring back the buzz, it needs a guy who can provide a powerful sting.
Sam Dekker
We now come to one of the true darlings of March Madness.
Of everybody not named Justise Winslow, no one improved his draft stock during the NCAA tournament more than Sam Dekker this year. His propensity for hitting cold-blooded shots on the big stage elevated him to possibly a top-10 pick.
Even with three years of seasoning at Wisconsin, the 6'9" junior is far from a finished product. He does many things well but nothing great. Should Charlotte elect to go with a more polished shooter, it will surely take looks at Kentucky's Devin Booker, Kansas' Kelly Oubre or Croatia's Mario Hezonja.
However, none of those guys could provide Dekker's two-way impact. He is a very good athlete and would fill some of the void left behind when the Hornets whiffed on signing Gordon Hayward this past offseason. Dekker still has work to do to become more consistent, especially as a shooter, but there is no question he can light it up when he is in rhythm.
Dekker is another small forward but could play lots of 2-guard on offense. He and MKG would fit well due to their contrasting styles.
A trend you may have noticed is that all three of these guys are from big programs with a history of success. All are proven winners and exemplary athletes who have showed up on the big stage. The days of going strictly with high-upside picks have to be left in the past. Johnson, WCS and Dekker all have big potential but high floors.
Similar things could have been said about previous Bobcat busts Adam Morrison and Sean May, but both of those guys peaked in college. Neither had the ability to play a lick of defense at the next level, something that no one is saying about Johnson, Dekker or Cauley-Stein.
Another note worth pondering is Charlotte's propensity to whiff on second-rounders. The Hornets have actually never drafted a player after the first round who has had an impact, which is almost unfathomable.
This draft is of utmost importance for a franchise in limbo. The Hornets are hanging in an imbalance after such a rocky year; they need to make a splash. Fans are growing restless and are losing trust after a decade of questionable lottery selections. It is time to start accumulating young foundational talents. These three would all fit that mold.
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