If the Charlotte Hornets do not end up trading up to No. 1 in the 2020 NBA Draft order to take James Wiseman, they have a plan. Michael Jordan appears to have a particular prospect in mind with the No. 3 pick with the assumption Wiseman is off the board.
According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, Jordan has given his ‘stamp of approval’ to the Hornets front office to select LaMelo Ball if the team stays at No. 3 in the 2020 NBA Draft order.
If the Hornets keep the third pick, league sources say Michael Jordan has given his stamp of approval for the front office to select LaMelo Ball. Ball would define the direction of the franchise as a passing wizard with untapped upside as a scorer and defender.
The Hornets currently have a roster that would benefit from taking just about whoever the best player available may be. That’s why they have been interested in engaging the Houston Rockets in trade talks for Russell Westbrook since they lack a star.
There was once an indication that Charlotte was interested in using the No. 3 selection in the 2020 NBA Draft to take Onyeka Okongwu. That no longer appears to be the case.
At this stage, it appears that Onyeka Okongwu, who had previously been connected to Charlotte, is no longer in serious consideration here.
There is a real boom-or-bust possibility that comes with LaMelo Ball but the Hornets appear willing to take that risk. It just may be a bit concerning since their track record with hitting on both proven players and development projects hasn’t been the greatest.
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It appears the Charlotte Hornets’ plans with the 2020 NBA Draft could be transparent at this point. It starts with trading up for James Wiseman but being satisfied with taking LaMelo Ball if they stay at No. 3. Striking out on both could result in more interest in a Russell Westbrook trade.
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