The Hornets need to get bigger and more physical. They can do that in the draft.
The Charlotte Hornets hold two first-round picks in this year’s draft, giving them significant flexibility heading into the offseason. Even though their lottery selection sits at No. 14—more mid-first round than top-tier—the organization still has multiple ways to approach the situation.
They could use both picks to add immediate young talent in a deep draft class, combine them to move up for a higher selection, or even package one in a trade for a proven NBA contributor. With several possible directions available, the big question becomes how Charlotte chooses to leverage its assets to take the next step forward.
Charlotte Hornets NBA mock draft
In the simulation conducted here, the Charlotte Hornets remained at the No. 14 spot, a highly likely outcome given the odds. Charlotte has just a 2.4% chance of jumping into the top four and only a 0.5% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick—making it even less likely than the result the Dallas Mavericks achieved in last year’s lottery.
1.14: Michigan PF Yaxel Lendeborg
The Charlotte Hornets are in need of added toughness in their frontcourt, and Yaxel Lendeborg could provide exactly that. Much like Kon Knueppel did last year, he also brings a strong winning background that could positively influence Charlotte’s locker room culture.
Lendeborg is slightly taller and carries more size than Miles Bridges, which makes him a natural candidate to step into a starting role. While his outside shooting is limited, his physical, aggressive style of play and interior presence would immediately add a different edge to the Hornets’ frontcourt rotation.
1.18: Arizona F Koa Peat
Noticing a pattern here, Koa Peat also fits the mold of a physical, power-driven forward who uses his frame to overpower defenders. That’s the kind of style the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic have historically used to give the Charlotte Hornets problems, so instead of trading up for a different type of prospect, Charlotte could be leaning into size and strength.
The concern with Peat, however, is his perimeter game. He only attempted 20 three-pointers in the 2025–26 season and shot just 36% from midrange, raising questions about spacing if he and Yaxel Lendeborg are on the floor together.
Even so, Charlotte already has shooting on the roster and could add more through free agency—names like Luke Kennard come to mind—so it may not be essential to prioritize shooting in this draft range. And if the Hornets retain Miles Bridges, they could still mix and match lineups, pairing physical frontcourt looks with more spacing-oriented groups when needed.
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