Charlotte Hornets: 3 perfect combinations for their pair of 1st-round picks

1. Amen Thompson and Kris Murray

Amen Thompson would come as quite the surprise at No. 2, but he’s honestly deserving of consideration — especially if Charlotte finds itself predisposed against Scoot Henderson for one reason or another. Thompson is a sort of marriage between Scoot and Miller; the size of a wing with the downhill playmaking of a star point guard.

In Thompson, Charlotte would immediately have one of the draft’s best processors — an elite on-the-fly creator who can make every pass in the book. He’s also the best athlete in the draft, if not the world. At 6-foot-7, he moves through the defense like a missile before detonating at the rim. His finesse on finishes inside — the man can hang in midair — could make Thompson a deadly off-ball cutter working alongside LaMelo, though that’s not part of his game we’ve seen much in the Overtime Elite league.

The primary knock on Thompson is shooting. He doesn’t command respect from deep yet, which makes the Ball fit all the more appealing. LaMelo can stretch the defense way out behind the 3-point line, potentially opening up driving lanes for Thompson. Plus, the LaMelo-Amen transition game would be must-watch television.

To complement Thompson’s unique paint-oriented approach, the Hornets opt for size and shooting on the wing with Kris Murray, twin brother of last year’s No. 4 pick Keegan Murray. He lacks the elite shooting touch of his brother, but Kris is a quality shooter in his own right and a strong connective piece on offense. Plus, you’re drafting two twins — they’d have something to bond over.