Oct 10, 2014; Greenville, SC, USA; The new Charlotte Hornets logo on the back of the warm ups prior to the game against the Washington Wizards at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

Trade or draft? NBA insider reveals what Hornets should do in first round

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated May 14, 2025 9:02 AM ET

The Charlotte Hornets now have the fourth overall pick after a wild and ultimately disappointing NBA lottery. They moved from third to fourth, which isn't as bad as it could've been. Now, discussions about what they can do with that pick can officially begin.

They can trade it, either in a package to move up (not likely) or to get more assets and move down a few slots. The Hornets can also keep it and take one of the four best prospects in this loaded draft class. Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey detailed what each team should do, and he thinks the Hornets should keep the pick.

"The Charlotte Hornets' two most important players—LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller—are both under 24 years old. Adding young talent to that duo should be the goal," Bailey argued. "If Ace Bailey falls to them at No. 4, as Wasserman projects, his game would make a lot of sense next to those two."

Bailey said that Ball's playmaking or pick-and-roll action with Mark Williams in the middle of the floor could be boosted by perimeter shooting from Miller and Bailey, which could give Charlotte a really strong offense.

The criticism of Bailey, at least as it pertains to Charlotte, is that he's too similar to Miller. The Hornets love Miller and would certainly take a duplicate, but that makes lineup construction a little challenging. It also keeps their defense on the perimeter bad.

Bailey might be a good pick, but the Hornets may also need to consider someone who fits the team a little differently. Either way, keeping it and using the pick on some prospect is more likely than trading it.