Which former Charlotte Hornets first-round pick is the clock ticking on?

Tick.

The Charlotte Hornets have made several first round picks over the last few seasons. Some have worked out, others... yeah.

Tock.

The clock on an NBA player's career begins right after Adam Silver calls their name on draft night. Some players find themselves in the league for a decade, others flame out before their rookie contract even ends.

For the Hornets, one player specifically faces the clock running out. No, it's not Tidjane Salaun like many might think. The clock is starting to run out on Nick Smith Jr., who is entering his third year out of Arkansas.

The Hornets selected Smith with the 27th pick in the 2023 draft. He has been decent through his first two years, though, has had some clear issues.

NSJ tries on defense, it does not matter though. He is a sub-par defender no matter how hard he tries, and his defense may never get past this point. He's also not a fantastic playmaker, averaging 1.8 assists through his first two seasons. His shooting numbers are by far the worst part of his game, as he has yet to eclipse the 40% mark from the field in either of his first two seasons.

What's scary for Smith is that both LaMelo Ball and (likely) Tre Mann will be returning. Why is this a concern for Smith? Well let's put it this way: in three games with Tre Mann healthy, NSJ played 6.5 minutes a game, and averaged 2.3 points. He was essentially out of the rotation.

So, with Mann returning, his role diminishes again. The Hornets could potentially bring in a veteran guard to help LaMelo Ball, which would eat even more minutes into the guard position. Plus, the Hornets' first-round pick will likely be a backcourt piece. All of a sudden, Smith may find himself completely out of the rotation when everybody is healthy.

With KJ Simpson practically outplaying Smith in the minutes they played as well, there is another guard who could be fighting for minutes.

In short, NSJ could find his way out of Charlotte in due time.

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