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Charlotte Hornets: James Wiseman or Onyeka Okongwu should be top choices at No. 3

By Paul Lombardi

CORVALLIS, OREGON - JANUARY 25: Onyeka Okongwu #21 of the USC Trojans reacts after a dunk during the first half against the Oregon State Beavers at Gill Coliseum on January 25, 2020 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
CORVALLIS, OREGON - JANUARY 25: Onyeka Okongwu #21 of the USC Trojans reacts after a dunk during the first half against the Oregon State Beavers at Gill Coliseum on January 25, 2020 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) /
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Exploring the best fits for the Charlotte Hornets heading into the 2020 NBA Draft 

With the 2020 NBA Draft just over a week away, all of the intense draft rumors are beginning to heat up. As we explore who could be the best fits for each team in the lottery, one team that stands out is the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets are in an interesting situation and with a lot of young talent already on the roster, their preference seems to be with one of the centers.

The Hornets reportedly have deep interest in both James Wiseman and Onyeka Okongwu, the top two centers on the draft board. Drafting one of the two is almost 100 percent certain at No. 3 for Charlotte, and it’s a move that I absolutely love.

After selecting P.J. Washington in the first round of last year’s NBA Draft, the Hornets have put together a solid squad of guards and forwards. Devonte’ Graham broke out last season as a great scoring and playmaking point guard to go along with 2019 free agent signing Terry Rozier in the backcourt.

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2018 first-round pick Miles Bridges rounds out the rotation at small forward with great defensive skills and drive to the basket scoring.

This leaves a hole at center, that can be easily filled as Charlotte sits on the No. 3 pick. Cody Zeller is still under contract for another year but can be used as the veteran leader to whoever they draft.

Now the debate is who will wind up in Charlotte, Wiseman or Okongwu. Well, we might not completely know until draft day as the top two picks are anything but sealed at this point. The Minnesota Timberwolves hold the first pick and seem to be high on LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, or Obi Toppin. The Warriors also hold the second pick and seem to be a great fit for either James Wiseman or Deni Avdija.

At the very least, Onyeka Okongwu should be on the board for the third pick in Charlotte and I can’t imagine them not pulling the trigger. Okongwu proved he can do it all in his one year at USC, being able to score from anywhere on the floor and dominate on the boards both offensively and defensively.

Overall, I personally think James Wiseman is the best prospect in this entire draft, as he has every skill to be a dominant big man in today’s NBA, but Okongwu is not far behind. No matter what happens with the first two picks, traded or not, it would be a shock if Wiseman and Okongwu went back-to-back.

Next. NBA Mock Draft: Boston Celtics trade into top 10; Deni Avdija jumps to No. 1. dark

As long as the Charlotte Hornets hold on to the third pick, they need to take either of these young budding stars.

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