Post-combine mock draft sees Hornets land 'incredible' athlete

The choice the Charlotte Hornets will have to make at fourth overall in the NBA draft is likely going to be between Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe. By most big boards, those two round out the top four prospects. Maybe Charlotte is considering Tre Johnson or even Jeremiah Fears, but more likely than not, it's going to be Bailey or Edgecombe.

That means it will depend on what the Philadelphia 76ers do. If they take Bailey, it leaves Charlotte with Edgecombe. If they do the opposite, Charlotte lands the opposite prospect. In the latest NBA mock draft from Bleacher Report, Charlotte lands Edgecombe, which might be the ideal outcome.

Jonathan Wasserman said of Edgecombe, "Front offices that value his 100th percentile explosiveness, shotmaking and defensive quickness could slot him at No. 3, particularly if they question Ace Bailey’s handle and tunnel vision, Tre Johnson’s lack of rim pressure and Jeremiah Fears’ shooting."

Wasserman also believes that the draft process will only help illuminate Edgecombe's rare, "incredible," athleticism and his ever-improving jumpshot. As far as a team fit, Edgecombe slots in perfectly. "With offense running through LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, Edgecombe gives Charlotte a different type of scorer and defender with his rim pressure and quickness," the analyst said.

Edgecombe doesn't have the perimeter shooting of either LaMelo Ball or Brandon Miller, so he could be the slasher that plays off both of them. He is best when attacking the rim, which is an offensive archetype missing from Charlotte's offense now. He's also a much stronger defender than Miller or Ball, which would go a long way to improving the team.

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