Hodge: The Hornets’ (bad) luck of the draw

Tuesday night was either a celebratory night for Charlotte Hornets fans, or a depressing one — there was no in-between.

With the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery taking place and the Hornets having just a 12.5% chance of claiming the No. 1 overall pick — and French basketball sensation Victor Wembanyama — Charlotte instead got the next-best selection at No. 2 overall after the San Antonio Spurs earned the top spot of the draft.

But the real question is, should Hornets fans be excited for having a top-two pick in this year’s NBA Draft, or upset at the fact that they were that close to getting a franchise-altering player?

When breaking it all down, it’s definitely a win for the Hornets, who’s odds were the highest at getting the No. 6 pick, to move up but there’s no denying that being the runner up in getting Wembanyama stings a lot. Wembanyama was the piece Charlotte needed to break their seven-year playoff drought and to bring life back into basketball in the Carolinas; instead, the Hornets will get their choice of the next best prospects, the NBA G League Ignite’s Scoot Henderson or Alabama forward Brandon Miller.

Terry Rozier is under contract until 2026 but Lamelo Ball is set to be a restricted free agent in 2024, and it’s not guaranteed he returns to Charlotte depending on the type of season they have next year; this could lead to the Hornets looking in the direction of Henderson.

On the other side, this will be Gordon Hayward’s final season under contract with Charlotte, and with uncertainty in Miles Bridges resigning with the team, that could sway the Hornets to go with Miller. P.J. Washington is also a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason, which would be another reason Charlotte could lean towards selecting the versatile Miller.

The decision would have been avoided had Charlotte’s dice just rolled the right way. With Wembanyama, he would fill any hole the Hornets would have had at the three or the four, and with Mark Williams, who averaged a block a game this past season, the two could have solidified a defensive paint presence Charlotte has needed for a long time. Not only that, Charlotte would have instantly become must-see TV even if they missed the playoffs next year.

But of course, it won’t happen now. Henderson or Miller will still be great players that can better the Charlotte Hornets; however, it won’t be the player that could have brought more money, media attention, and “buzz” to the organization.