Fans of the Charlotte Hornets were likely caught a bit off guard by the team’s 48-34 season in 2015-16 that resulted in a playoff berth. There are some key players that are free agents this summer that could change the look of the Hornets next season however. This means that there are some big needs in the upcoming NBA Draft that the team will have to look ahead to.
Al Jefferson, Marvin Williams and Nicolas Batum are all free agents and accounted for plenty of scoring and rebounding numbers last season. This will make Charlotte’s quest to get back to the playoffs a challenge of all three of those players leave town. Batum averaged 14.9 points and 6.1 rebounds a game last night while Jefferson and Williams each averaged 12 points and 6.4 rebounds. They are all getting older as well but their experience was one of the biggest keys to them getting to the postseason.
The team has the No. 22 pick in the NBA Draft on June 23. There are experts who think Florida State guard Malik Beasley will fall to the Hornets. Beasley averaged 15 points a game last season for the Seminoles and would definitely bring a big scoring punch to the roster if there are losses in free agency. Charlotte is definitely on their way up and a pick of Beasley may help put those over the top and into the second round of the playoffs next season.
NBA Draft 2016: Charlotte Hornets Draft Picks, Holes & Needs
