The Charlotte Hornets haven't made the playoffs since 2016, the NBA's longest postseason drought. They haven't advanced past the opening round of the playoffs since 2002, also the NBA's longest drought.
How the Hornets navigate the 2023 NBA draft figures to play a significant role in how much longer the team's long-suffering fan base has to wait to see a return to the conference semifinals.
With five draft picks on June 22 at Barclays Center (8 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN App) -- all of which are in the top 41 -- the Hornets have a chance to inject some much-needed youth and talent on draft night.
What would an ideal draft night look like for the Hornets? We won't know for sure until a few years down the road, but ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony put together a plausible list of potential picks who would represent a best-case scenario for Charlotte, assuming the Hornets keep all their picks.
No. 2 pick: Brandon Miller | SG/SF | Alabama
Charlotte will get an up-close look at Scoot Henderson and Miller this week, after previously getting Ausar and Amen Thompson in its building. These workouts will go a long way in determining which direction general manager Mitch Kupchak goes.