The draft lottery is more than two months away, so there’s still a long wait before the Charlotte Hornets find out where they end up in the draft order this summer. They’ve done all they could to secure one of the three highest odds of landing the No. 1 pick, which most teams would presumably use on Cooper Flagg.
Interestingly, it has been 34 years since the Hornets selected first in the draft. In 1991, the franchise was the first on the clock, using the pick on University of Nevada, Las Vegas alum Larry JohnsonIf the team finds itself opening the draft for only the second time in team history, the question is whether Charlotte should choose another highly touted forward. Flagg is atop almost all draft boards, and for good reason. So, the front office probably doesn’t have to think too much about it in the event that it wins the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.
Cooper Flagg’s weakness might have Hornets hesitating
The Duke University standout has proven to be one of the most tantalizing prospects in recent years. His offensive versatility and potential to be a disruptive force on defense have had pundits excited to watch him make waves in the NBA.
However, like any other prospect, Flagg has some red flags, so to speak. One of the most concerning aspects of his game is his on-ball defense, per Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon of the “Game Theory Podcast.” The sports scribes brought up how evidently lacking the 18-year-old’s perimeter defense was when the Blue Devils were eliminated in the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four.
