7. Cody Zeller, Charlotte Hornets
We honestly could’ve gone with half the players on the Charlotte Hornets‘, but Cody Zeller is the most mysterious prospect of the bunch. Is his impact on winning really as important as it seems on paper? Can he reach another level after coming off the bench behind Dwight Howard in the middle of his development? And is he really about to turn 26 with the hairline of a 45-year-old, or is he actually some older Zeller cousin we don’t know about masquerading as a younger NBA big?
Some questions are better left unanswered, but here’s what we know: In Zeller’s last season as a full-time starter, the Hornets were 33-29 when he played. That’s not a great record, but it’s far better than the hapless 3-17 mark they posted in the 20 games he missed.
Howard’s arrival hindered Zeller’s growth right when it seemed like he was poised for a breakout year, as did the injury bug of a torn meniscus. With three years and $43.4 million left on his contract, Charlotte needs one of its young players — this seven-footer in particular — to stay healthy, beat out the competition for the starting job and look like a player worth keeping around, rather than just another underwhelming draft pick who turned into a deadweight contract.