Why Sion James Should Play a Rotational Role for the Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets are in the midst of a roster reconstruction, seeming to gear up for a potential playoff push after three consecutive seasons under the 30-win threshold. Part of their eventful offseason was the 2025 NBA Draft, bringing in four rookies in the class.

One of those rookies was former Duke guard Sion James, a two-way force in his fifth college season. James averaged 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.8 steals per game while holding 51.6 / 41.3 / 81 shooting splits.

The Hornets selected James with the No. 34 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, bringing him into a loaded guard rotation consisting of LaMelo Ball, Collin Sexton, Tre Mann, Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Nick Smith Jr., Spencer Dinwiddie and K.J. Simpson. So how can James work his way into a spot in the rotation despite plenty of competition ahead of him, both veterans and youth.

For starters, while James hasn't stepped foot on an NBA court, he's arguably the best defender of the bunch. His stocky, 6-foot-6, 220 pound frame gives him the physicality to hang with ball-handling forwards and guards, making for a great point-of-attack defender.

Between Ball, Miller and Sexton as top scoring options, having a strong defender to supplwement their scoring punch is a near-necessity to stay afloat on both sides of the ball. He'd be one of the true three-and-D players on the Hornets' roster, shooting 41.3 percent from 3-point range on mostly catch-and-shoot opportunites in his senior season.

As for the offense, James has proven capable of flourishing in a variety of roles, scaling his usage up and down effectively when needed. While he played a complementary role to Knueppel and Cooper Flagg at Duke, he averaged 14 points per game in his 2023-2024 campaign with Tulane, while still shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from 3-point range.

James' showcased ability to play with and without the ball, so he's also an option as a backup lead guard for the bench unit. His flexibility to play in both units is important for a playoff setting, as he can fluctuate throughout different matchups.

If the Hornets are looking to make a return to the playoffs, who better to help that cause than James, who helped Duke reach the Final Four in a competitive field. Under head coach Charles Lee, the Hornets could finally make the turn in establishing a winning culture and return to the posteason, and James can help make it happen.