Hornets predicted to snag Texas guard over Ace Bailey, Kon Knueppel

There's been a lot of chatter about several prospects in play for the Charlotte Hornets. Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel, and even Khaman Maluach have been named as possible picks for the Hornets. One name that hasn't gotten a lot of attention, though, is Tre Johnson.

That's who Sports Illustrated fantasy insider Matt Brandon believes Charlotte will pick. Edgecombe was off the board to the Philadelphia 76ers, but the Johnson selection happened over both Bailey and Knueppel.

"Johnson looks like a plug-and-play weapon from Day 1, injecting some much-needed juice into the Hornets’ backcourt. And if Charlotte’s brass believes he can run the show, don’t rule out a future where LaMelo Ball is suiting up elsewhere," Brandon said. "Despite Ball still being in town (for now), Johnson feels like a strong candidate to land in Buzz City, giving the Hornets arguably the most natural bucket-getter in the entire draft."

Brandon also noted that Johnson possesses some size at the guard position, standing 6'6" but having a 6'10" wingspan. "He’s lethal off the catch, dangerous off the bounce, and already flashing pull-up skills that scream NBA-ready. His defense is still a work-in-progress, and his playmaking is growing, but with his tools and tenacity, the upside on both ends is sky-high," Brandon said.

It's really unclear what direction the Hornets are going to go, so this can't be ruled out. They reportedly like Edgecombe, but every passing day seems to make it more likely that he's coming off the board one pick earlier, so the Hornets will have to pivot.

Johnson could fill a backcourt with LaMelo Ball, pushing Brandon Miller to the small forward position, where he might be better suited with his length. Miles Bridges and Mark Williams would remain the bigs in this theoretical lineup.

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