Who has a brighter future? Mark Williams or Khaman Maluach?

Two words: Center debate.

Two words that Charlotte Hornets fans are so familiar with. Since the start of the new year, there has been a constant debate amongst Hornets fans: who should the center of the future be? Should it be the former first round pick, proven potential star Mark Williams? Or the scrappy, hard-working underdog Moussa Diabate? Perhaps the Bosnian Beast Jusuf Nurkic, who was acquired at the trade deadline?

No matter what, the fanbase is divided on who LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller's big man should be. After a mess at the trade deadline that resulted in Mark Williams staying in Charlotte, the franchise seemed to be saying they want Mark to be the future at center. At only 23, Williams has shown flashes and promise to potentially be one of the better centers in the NBA, which should lead to the team wanting him to be their big man.

With the NBA Draft around the corner, nobody knows what the Charlotte Hornets are going to do. Baylor's VJ Edgecombe seemed the likely selection, but recent reports seem to point to him going to the Philadelphia 76ers at pick three.

Edgecombe getting selected at three could send the Hornets into a spiral, with them potentially looking the way of an unexpected prospect: Duke center Khaman Malauch.

The Hornets have their young "center of the future" though, right? Well, which former Duke star has a brighter future, Mark Williams or Khaman Maluach?

The answer is simple, it's Maluach.

The South Sudan center is only 18 years old, standing 7'2. He started playing basketball when he was 13, only five short years ago. He's still raw as an offensive player, but his defense is otherworldly. While his fellow Duke teammate, Cooper Flagg, may have helped him on the defensive side at times, Maluach still projects out to be a perennial All-Defensive player.

In his lone Duke season, Khaman averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 21.2 minutes per game. He also shot 71.2% from the field, 25% from three, and 76.6% from the free throw line. 

His offense is raw, and needs time to develop. He only took sixteen total threes at Duke, and still needs time to implement a three ball. That being said, his free throw percentage, 76.6%, shows that there is a three ball that can be developed, unlike Mark Williams who may never be a perimeter shooter.

He also projects out to be a better lob threat than Williams for star guard LaMelo Ball, as he made 78% of his shots at the rim and had 80 dunks across the 39 games he played. He's also an extremely strong pick and role player, and if it were not for Cooper Flagg, he may have averaged double-digit rebounds.

He already may be a better defender than Mark Williams ever will be, a perennial DPOY candidate who has the versatility to guard 1-5 and wipe out any opponent paint touches. His pick and roll defense as an addition is the best in the class as well.

In short, if the Hornets are valuing upside at the center position, acquiring Maluach should be a top priority.

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