Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach (9) celebrates during the first half against the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The Hornets are predicted to make a perplexing choice in latest 2025 NBA mock draft

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 9:12 AM ET

The Charlotte Hornets are a fairly difficult team to predict as it pertains to their draft choice. Insiders know who's going first overall to the Dallas Mavericks. The San Antonio Spurs are also easy to nail down. It's becoming clearer and clearer every day who the Philadelphia 76ers want. The Hornets, though, remain an enigma of sorts.

They could take Ace Bailey or VJ Edgecombe, whichever is not selected by Philadelphia. But Bailey's recent behavior suggests he's not going to Philadelphia, and it doesn't seem like Charlotte is too enamored by him, either. They could take Kon Knueppel, someone they seem to be fond of but aren't sure he's worth a top-five selection. Tre Jones and Khaman Maluach have also been targets.

In the latest Bleacher Report mock draft, the latter ends up being the pick for the Hornets. This would be a surprise given that Bailey, Knueppel, and Jones are all on the board, and Maluach at four overall is a bit of a stretch. There's also the fact that the Hornets have Mark Williams, Moussa Diabate, and Jusuf Nurkic down low.

Still, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman likes the physical tools Maluach has. The Duke center has "wild measurements," according to the combine: 7'1" size barefoot, a 7'7" wingspan, a 9'6" standing reach, and large hands.

"His pro day brought that size, length, and mobility to life, leaving some scouts picturing a top-five pick," the analyst continued. "Maluach was also able to showcase shotmaking skill that was masked during the season with Duke. The buzz and interest have been snowballing to the point where it seems like Maluach may be in play once Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are off the board."

If the Hornets do want Maluach, they will probably do one of two things (or both). They'll either trade Mark Williams or they'll trade back in the first round to select the Duke standout. Doing both would probably be the best-case scenario, as it would give the Hornets a defensive center and a ton of assets to work with.