Historically, the Charlotte Hornets haven't done a great job of evaluating and developing young talent (or any talent, for that matter), to put it mildly. Yet, the organization perennially finds itself in a position to watch the ping pong balls bounce in the NBA Draft Lottery.
This offseason will be more of the same for Charlotte, considering they boast the third-worst record in the Association. However, if there's any silver lining, the Hornets are firmly in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. The Duke phenom is considered this year's consensus No. 1 overall selection and has been widely touted as a franchise-altering player.
So, if the odds go in their favor on May 12 in Chicago, the Hornets' misfortunes this season could be a blessing in disguise. Flagg is a golden ticket. But unless you're a fan of them, folks would rather see him end up elsewhere, given the team's poor track record with top-tier prospects. Nonetheless, Charlotte is a fascinating landing spot for the 18-year-old for one glaring reason: Comradeship.
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The Hornets' bevy of 2025 NBA Draft capital enables them to pair Cooper Flagg with former Duke teammates
On top of being one of three clubs with a 14 percent chance of claiming the first pick, Charlotte currently has two premium second-rounders. They hold the No. 33 and No. 34 choices. With those assets, the Hornets can reunite Flagg with at least one of his former Duke guards: Tyrese Proctor and/or Isaiah Evans.
The power of friendship is valuable. Giving Flagg some familiar faces to work with can prove worthwhile; just ask the New York Knicks. They've surrounded All-Star floor general Jalen Brunson with his former Villanova running mates, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges (and previously Donte DiVincenzo). Their chemistry on and off the court is apparent to anyone who follows the squad, and the Hornets can potentially try to replicate that formula.
Evans and Proctor are ranked 40th and 43rd on FanSided's latest big board. Knowing this, the Hornets may be slightly reaching to pair them with Flagg. But it's a justifiable move if it makes the 2024-25 AP Player of the Year happy and more comfortable with settling down in Charlotte. And while folks outside of Buzz City won't like the outcome, the idea of a Duke Hornets version of the "Villanova Knicks" is intriguing.
For whatever it's worth, Flagg hasn't officially declared for the draft as of this writing. But it'd be stunning if he elected to stay in school. Meanwhile, Evans and Proctor's futures aren't as clear, so bringing Durham to Charlotte is merely a pipe dream -- for now.