After a 25-win improvement from a season prior, the Charlotte Hornets fell just short of the NBA playoffs, falling to the Orlando Magic in blowout fashion in the final Play-In Tournament matchup. Although the Hornets weren’t able to end their 10-year playoff drought, there’s reason to believe that Charlotte will find themselves in the postseason next year. This summer, the Hornets have plenty of ways to improve and hold two first-round picks in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.
In a recent mock draft done by NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor, he projected that Charlotte would take Michigan forward and recent NCAA champion Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 14 overall selection. Then at No. 18, O’Connor has the Hornets selecting big man Chris Cenac out of Houston. Lendeborg would address an area of need for Charlotte, adding a versatile wing defender to the rotation. As for Cenac, he’d also fill a void for the Hornets as a center who can knock down outside shots. If Charlotte were to add a true big that could stretch the floor, it would open more driving lanes for stars like Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
That said, there’s no guarantee the Hornets will keep both of their selections, as they have enough assets to justify acquiring another player or moving up even higher.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Hornets add versatile Michigan defender in updated mock draft