2018 NBA Mock Draft: Promises, promises

I just don’t trust the Hornets to reach very high and take a risk in the draft, capped out and mediocre as they are. So, to jump-start the most overdue rebuild in the league, I give you Collin Sexton!

Taking Malik Monk eleventh last year may seem like a risk, but by that point Monk had actually fallen. He was projected to end up in New York and steal shots from Kristaps Porzingis. Instead, he flopped as a rookie in Charlotte because coach Steve Clifford tried to make him a point guard, eliminating his best attribute, shooting. They need to play Monk more no matter what next year, but their approach to developing him shows the problems that plagued this team under its last regime.

Perhaps the transition to Mitch Kupchak in the front office and James Borrego on the bench means a greater emphasis on player development. If they believe in themselves, drafting someone like Lonnie Walker IV or Zhaire Smith should be an easy choice. Instead, faced with the possibility of Kemba Walker’s departure next summer, I think Charlotte carries on with their typical business and drafts a proven college player.

Sexton isn’t a bad bet to be a starting-level point guard by any means. He’s a capable replacement for Walker, cooking up a similar recipe to the UConn alum. By competing on defense and making 3s, Sexton is able to overcome the deficiencies of being so small.

Picking at 11 two years in a row and walking away with a backcourt of Sexton and Monk is perfectly fine.