Charlotte Hornets: 2018 NBA Draft Lottery odds
The Charlotte Hornets went 36-46 again but a pick in this year’s NBA Draft Lottery should change things. Here’s a look at their odds in this year’s process.
The Charlotte Hornets finished with an identical record to their 2016-17 result in 2017-18. The team looked to be on the cusp of a playoff berth but an 8-12 finish to the regular season derailed all of that.
As a result, the Hornets are back in the NBA Draft Lottery. They got the 11th pick in last year’s lottery process and ended up selecting Malik Monk, a standout from the University of Kentucky.
Monk was a mixed bag in his rookie campaign for the Hornets. At one point during the regular season, he was sent to G League for a game. He put up 25 points on 7-of-21 shooting from 3-point range and was instantly called back up to the NBA.
The Hornets have pretty much the same odds as last year. They have a 2.9 percent chance of receiving a top three pick with their biggest odds being the 11th pick at 90.8 percent. Here’s a breakdown of their odds for each pick:
- 1st: 0.8%
- 2nd: 0.9%
- 3rd: 1.2%
- 11th: 90.8%
- 12th: 6.3%
- 13th: 0.1%
- 14th: >0.0%
With Kemba Walker and Dwight Howard back in the fold for 2018-19, the Hornets’ biggest need currently is a scorer and defender on the wing. The 11th selection could go a number of different ways for Charlotte in the 2018 NBA Draft.
One mock draft projects them to select Kentucky Wildcats forward Kevin Knox. NBADraft.net has them selecting Miles Bridges, a 6’7″ forward out of Michigan State, in their pre-lottery mock draft. Depending on what’s available, this selection could go a number of ways.
The Charlotte Hornets need to do their best to get a player with a winning mentality, that’s for sure. Malik Monk isn’t a bad pick; in fact, he’s the perfect sixth man in this scenario.
Towards the end of the season, Monk showed future Sixth Man of the Year potential, averaging 19.8 points and 3.8 assists per game in the final six contests of the regular season. He did it while shooting 47 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.
Their next piece needs to encompass a winning mentality by understanding his role on both ends. While Monk is an explosive scorer, his defense isn’t exactly stellar.
Kemba Walker will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2018-19 season, which is lingering in the back of the minds of Charlotte Hornets’ management. They’ll need to add a solid piece wherever they land this year.
Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft
To find out where the Hornets will be picking, tune into the NBA Draft Lottery Tuesday night.