Ranking Charlotte's top four NBA Draft options after dramatic lottery drawing

Monday, May 12th will be remembered as one of the most consequential days in recent NBA history. On top of Giannis Antetokounmpo testing the waters of a trade request, Jayson Tatum going down with a major injury ahead of an offseason that was already set up to be a major inflection point in the current trajectory of the Boston Celtics, the NBA Draft lottery radically altered the futures of the Charlotte Hornets, the Dallas Mavericks, the San Antonio Spurs, and a handful of other franchises.

Now that the dust has settled on yesterday's theatrics, it's time to dive into the nitty gritty. Charlotte owns the fourth overall pick in a talented draft class that gets muddled after its top two prospects. Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee will have their pick of the litter after Dallas, San Antonio, and Philadelphia likely select Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and (maybe) Ace Bailey in the top three.

Let's dive into Charlotte's options at number four.

4. Ace Bailey

Bailey comes in at number four for a pair of reasons.

First, I believe Philadelphia (or whoever they end up trading the pick to) will take him at number three. Although the big-time prospect has a myriad of flaws in his game (shot-creation, defensive intensity, dribbling, finishing), there's still a ton to like when watching Bailey.

A general manager will talk themselves into his Go-Go Gadget arms and intoxicating shot-making skills that mask the musk of his overall profile.

Second, he just doesn't fit with what Charlotte is building. The Hornets need another skinny, perimeter-oriented player like I need a hole in my head, which is to say, not even a little bit.

Bailey is a malleable ball of clay that the right organization can mold into a masterpiece, but Charlotte isn't the right sculptor for the job. If they select Bailey, it will be a defensible decision because his high-level traits are so rare, but the next three options are cleaner fits in my opinion.

3. Tre Johnson

At first blush Johnson's scouting profile screams "ONE-DIMENSIONAL SHOOTER" like a marquee on the Vegas strip. His ancillary numbers (assist percentage and stock rates, most notably) leave much to be desired.

However, when you factor in the context of his poor surroundings at Texas, his workman-like desire to improve, his Combine-confirmed frame and athleticism, the murky waters that Johnson is swimming in become a bit clearer.

His offense would give Charlotte a massive boost. Profiling as an elite jump shooter from day one in the NBA, Johnson would open doors up for Charlotte's primary downhill drivers that were padlocked shut due to the Hornets' lack of spacing. If the intel around Johnson is true, he synergizes with Charles Lee's consistent refrain of 'being obsessed with daily improvement,' and with his natural giftings, the sky is the limit for the Texas product as modern two-guard in the NBA.

2. Kon Knueppel

The game of baseball has changed completely in the post-Moneyball era.

Gone are the days of valuing on-base percentage, drawing walks, and setting the table for your power hitters at the top of the lineup. In is the 'three true outcomes' era: walk, strikeout, or home run.

Drafting Bailey or Johnson would be the modern baseball approach: you're attempting to launch a ball into orbit or you're going to strikeout doing it. Those two wing prospects have All-NBA ceilings and Shanghai Sharks floors, making them risky but tantalizing picks at the top of the draft.

Knueppel on the other hand is a line drive into the gap that is a single at worst but could turn into much more.

Seeing the vision of Knueppel becoming a star takes a couple of contact refreshes, but seeing the vision of him becoming a Derrick White level super role player is easy. On day one, Knueppel will walk into the NBA with a high-level shooting stroke and solid ancillary offensive skills (playmaking, passing, pick-and-roll operation, lob-throwing), making him one of the safest non-Flagg prospects in the class.

Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee are squarely in phase of talent acquisition, and folding Knueppel into the foundation their building would be seamless. He's the type of talented, high-floor wing that every contending team needs come playoff time.

1. VJ Edgecombe

I've spent the last 18 hours talking myself into Edgecombe being the pick for Charlotte.

Both on and off the floor, Edgecombe is a neat fit with what the Hornets are building. He's a hard-nosed two guard that wins on offense with his catch-and-shoot ability and elite athleticism; two weak points in Charlotte's current attack.

On defense, Edgecombe could come into Charlotte and mark the opposing team's primary option as a point-of-attack defender that allows LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller to match up with lesser attackers and wreak havoc in the passing lanes with their plus wingspans.

By all accounts, Edgecombe is a hard-worker that will elevate the level of competition across the Hornets' roster. He has Hornets DNA engrained in his code and he fits the archetype of player that Peterson and Lee have attempted to acquire in their year as Charlotte's lead decision-makers.

Getting the fourth pick is a blow to the Hornets faithful that expected Cooper Flagg to land in their laps, but it isn't a death sentence. Charlotte will still have the ability to add another talented piece to their core in the 2025 NBA Draft, and among their options, Edgecombe should be at the top of the list.

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