Mar 12, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Dylan Harper (2) shoots the ball while USC Trojans guard Desmond Claude (1) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

What would Dylan Harper mean for Tre Mann's future in Charlotte?

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Owen O'Connor | Last updated May 5, 2025 1:10 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets own top three odds in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.

The NBA Draft is loaded this season, but the top three of Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey are the most sought after players in this entire draft class.

Duke's Cooper Flagg is the undisputed number one selection. The two Rutgers stars have varied, but routinely in mock drafts Dylan Harper goes #2, and Ace Bailey #3.

So, to land Harper the Hornets would need the number two selection in the class.

Using Tankathon.com, it took five draft lottery simulations to land the Hornets the number two pick (#1 was in three).

With the second pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select... Dylan Harper, guard, Rutgers.

Harper is a 6'6 guard who has drawn comparisons to Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown, and James Harden.

He's an elite ball handler and shot creator, and can score efficiently on all three levels. His strength is scoring inside the arc (59%), however, he was a 35% shooter from deep on the season. He does lack some of the explosiveness that is seen in someone like Jaylen Brown, and his shooting is just as streaky as Brown. He does not have the most incredible first step, and might struggle at the rim against NBA bigs.

As a playmaker, Harper has one of the highest basketball IQ's in the entire draft class. He reads the floor extremely well, and consistently makes the right decisions, though, he struggles with reading help defense. He's unselfish, mature, and always adjusting mid-play, and the best pick and roll guard that is available. That being said, he is extremely reliant on the pick and roll to help generate his offense. With this, he often dribbles too much and holds onto the ball for far too long.

Harper's defense does not get enough credit as it should, as he has the versatility to be able to guard one through four, and excels at fighting through screens. He's a strong rebounder, averaging 5.3 on the year.

Best of the best is that he is extremely confident in the clutch.

Compare his ceiling/floor to his teammate, Ace Bailey. Bailey has a ceiling of one of the top players in basketball, though his floor could see him out of the league within the next few seasons. Harper, in contrast, does not have as high of a ceiling, but has a much higher floor.

So, what would this mean for Tre Mann?

Tre Mann's Future Becomes Uncertain

Mann is set to hit restricted free agency over the summer. The Hornets willingness to bring him back likely would not change, as Mann is a valuable sixth man for the team.

The question starts to turn more into whether or not Mann would want to stay in Charlotte, as he would see his ball handling duties start to decline. Mann already saw this happen in Oklahoma City with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey taking the primary guard duties.

With Nick Smith Jr, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and KJ Simpson also needing the ball in their hands, Mann would likely start to question whether or not it's worth it to stay in Charlotte. To be honest, it would not be shocking (if they land Harper) for him to look around and decide to go somewhere that he will have the ball in his hands.