Charlotte Hornets: 2019 NBA Draft grades

No. 12 pick: PJ Washington

For the second year in a row, the Charlotte Hornets would up with the No. 12 pick in the NBA Draft, and with the selection of Kentucky forward PJ Washington, they continue to load up at the forward position.

While loading up with wing players is never a bad thing in the NBA, Washington was taken when arguably other better players such as Nassir Little, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Brandon Clarke were still on the board. The Hornets lack a defensive force as well and could’ve even taken a chance on the likes of Sekou Doumbouya or Goga Bitadze.

That’s not to say that PJ Washington won’t be a good pick for the Hornets, but he seems to fit the mold of so many players on the team’s roster already.

Washington had a solid year at Kentucky last year, improving upon his production and rebounding from his freshman year. He finished the season with 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game over 35 games for the Wildcats. He already has the support of his teammates, with Miles Bridges ready to get to know him.

https://twitter.com/MilesBridges/status/1141878036654100481

Considering the Hornets already have Nicolas Batum, Bridges, Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon competing for time on the wing, we may not see Washington featured too much with the team and instead spend time with their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

Quality play in NBA Summer League and a solid training camp could earn him a featured roster spot, but unless the Hornets are making more moves sooner than later, Washington should have time to develop his game a little more before being called upon.

This seems like a relatively safe pick here when it could have been used to entice Walker to stay in the fold.

Grade: B