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3 NBA Draft prospects that Charlotte could select to replace Mark Williams

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Matt Alquiza | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 9:50 PM ET

In a move that was less shocking than the last time it happened, the Charlotte Hornets swung a draft night trade and sent Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns for a pair of first-round picks, one of them being #29 in tonight's first round.

With Williams out of the mix, Charlotte should look to add a center to fill out their front court rotation. Jusuf Nurkic and Moussa Diabate are solid rotational pieces, but the Hornets need to add a big man that can either protect the rim or stretch the floor (or both). Let's take a quick look at a couple of options that could be on the table for Charlotte.

Danny Wolf - Michigan

Wolf is a seven-footer that plays like a point guard. The big man's all-around skill set is dripping with sauce as he tosses no-look passes with ease like The Professor, hauls in rebounds with his seven-foot frame, and finishes looks at the cup. Charles Lee loves using a big man as a playmaking hub on the perimeter, and there may not be a center in this class that would thrive in that role better than Wolf.

There are real athletic limitations with Wolf, and his shot needs to come around, but his overall skillset if truly tantalizing.

Ryan Kalkbrenner - Creighton

There may not be a better rim protector in this draft class than Kalkbrenner. The four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year is a menace in drop coverage, and although he won't be able to switch onto guards on the perimeter, his ability to deter shots at the cup is top notch.

On offense, Kalkbrenner has a catch radius that would make Odell Beckham Jr. blush, and he marries that with soft touch around the basket to dominate games on the interior. The swing skill for Kalkbrenner, the jumper, is a project right now, but he boasts a Brook Lopez-level ceiling if the shot falls.

Maxime Raynaud - Stanford

Raynaud is like a combination of Wolf and Kalkbrenner. He has some of Wolf's dribble, pass, shoot skills, while protecting the rim like Kalkbrenner. Also like Wolf, Raynaud has athletic limitations, but he's a burgeoning prospect with a host of projectable skills that would like in a five-out Charles Lee imagined offense.