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All of the focus in Charlotte is on what the Hornets will be doing at the top of the draft on Thursday night. The hotly contested debate of Scoot Henderson vs. Brandon Miller has drawn the majority of the attention around the NBA and in the city and rightfully so. However, that pick is one of five that the team is scheduled to make on Thursday evening.
The Hornets are set for another selection later in the first round at No. 27 and the No. 34, No. 39 and No. 41 in the second round. Earlier this morning, Mac & Bone discussed some of the names that they have seen and would like to see the Hornets go after with those selections.
GG Jackson F/South Carolina 2022-23 Stats: 15.4 pts, 5.9 rebs, 0.8 ast, 0.8 blks, 38.4% FG, 32.4% 3-pt, 67.7% FT
Bone: “I like GG Jackson at 27. He was thought to be a top five to ten pick along the way. You get him at 27 and grow him as a player, you don’t expect him come in right away and wow you. He’s young, but I think him at 27 for the talent that he has is intriguing.”
Mac: “He’s like 6’8, can handle and attack the rack. The thing is, the rest of it I don’t know. He seems very raw at this point in time, but there’s talent there.
Jaime Jaquez G/UCLA 2022-23 Stats: 17.8 pts, 8.2 rebs, 2.4 ast, 1.5 stls, 48.1% FG, 31.7% 3-pt, 77.0% FT
Bone: “He’s another guy that would play a specific role, not gonna be a star but just a solid basketball player. Almost a Jared Dudley type from the standpoint that he’s not going to wow you athletically, but you just know the guy knows how to play the game of basketball.
Mac: “Jaquez is not an athlete, doesn’t shoot the three well. What’s he gonna do? You’re not going through him in the mid-range. You’re not going through him like they did at UCLA. I don’t think that works for a role player in the NBA. I’m not feeling him.”
Kris Murray F/Iowa 2022-23 Stats: 20.2 pts, 7.9 rebs, 2.0 ast, 1.2 blks, 47.6% FG, 33.5% 3-pt, 72.9% FT
Mac: “He’s not going to be dynamic like his brother, Keegan, but the kid is going to be a real good shooter and a real good defender that can switch and guard multiple positions. I just think that guy is a rotation player.”
Bone: “Remember I was big on his brother last year. To your point, he’s not his brother but if you could get someone like Keegan Murray at 27, to me that would be a steal.”
Terquavion Smith G/NC State 2022-23 Stats: 17.9 pts, 3.6 rebs, 4.1 ast, 1.4 stls, 38.0% FG, 33.6% 3-pt, 70.1% FT
Mac: “I think he would be a good just bring him off the bench and let him get shots up quickly and see if the microwaves working type of player.
Bone: “Baby T is intriguing but I don’t know if it is at 27. If you could get him somewhere in the 30s, I like that.”
Dariq Whitehead G/Duke 2022-23 Stats: 8.3 pts, 2.4 rebs, 1.0 asts, 0.8 stls, 42.1% FG, 42.9% 3-pt, 79.3% FT
Mac: “The local guy I’m most interested in Whitehead. Some people believe that we saw just a fraction of what he’s capable of doing because of the foot problem that he had early in the season and was bothering him throughout the season. Guys who saw him play in high school said that wasn’t the same guy in terms of explosiveness. The problem is this was his second foot injury, but if he can be healthy, I don’t think it’s terrible to take a flier on him.
Bone: “The injuries worry me, but the one and dones can look so different from college to the next level. Whitehead could be that guy that you watch him and say ‘man, he really put it all together’, but at 27 that’s at spot where you can take that risk.”
