There’s little buzz surrounding the Charlotte Hornets after yet another playoff-free season — but one standout name in this year’s draft could change that.
PFSN’s Sterling Xie released a post-deadline mock draft following the April 26 early-entry cutoff for underclassmen.
While the final draft pool isn’t set, Xie has a high-profile prospect in mind for the Hornets, who hold the No. 3 pick on June 25 and are in desperate need of a co-star to support LaMelo Ball.
Is Tre Johnson the Answer for Charlotte Hornets?
Xie projected Charlotte to add Texas star Tre Johnson, helping an offense that finished 29th in the NBA in offensive rating.
As a freshman in 2024-25, Johnson led the Longhorns in minutes (34.7) and points (19.9) per game as Texas made the SEC quarterfinals and bowed out in the first round of March Madness to No. 11 seed Xavier.
A native of Garland, Texas, Johnson was the No. 21 scorer in the NCAA and was named SEC Freshman of the Year and All-SEC Second Team, declaring for the draft after the NCAA tournament.
Johnson’s 2.7 assists to 1.8 turnovers per game won’t turn any heads, as Xie noted, but he could make an impact as an offball scorer with Ball running much of the offense. Johnson shot 39.7% from beyond the arc and 87.1% from the line in his lone year at the flagship of the Lone Star State.
The 6’6 19-year-old would fit neatly with a rangy Hornets lineup comprising Ball (6’7), former No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller (6’9), forward Miles Bridges (6’7), and big man Mark Williams (7’0).
More Scoring Critical to Support Ball and Hornets
Ball, the No. 3 pick in 2020, led the Hornets with 25.2 points per game in 2024-25, but played just 47 games. He has missed time in his last three seasons, playing 36 games in 2022-23 and just 22 in 2023-24.
The 2021 Rookie of the Year made his usual quota of highlight-reel plays but shot just 40.5% from the field last season and 33.9% from deep, a career low. His 37.1% usage rate, per Cleaning the Glass, led his position, and while his assist rate was similarly impressive, his 1.08 points per shot attempt was below average.
Injuries to the supporting cast didn’t help during Charlotte’s dismal 19-63 season. Brandon Miller averaged 21 points in 27 games, Miles Bridges boosted his trade value with a strong 20.3-point, 7.5-rebound campaign, and Mark Williams made his mark with 15.3 points and 10.2 boards across 44 appearances.
Still, the Hornets finished with the NBA’s worst effective field goal percentage (50.3%), and a subpar defense only added to their woes, resulting in a ninth straight season without a playoff berth.
Could Johnson be the offensive spark LaMelo Ball and the Hornets have been missing? Since entering the league in 1988, Charlotte has never reached the Conference Finals. Johnson could be the first step toward finally changing that.
Nothing wrong with this article. Tre is a legit option for Charlotte if they fall even 1 pick and our shooting options were awful last year. I think at 3 they are looking at Edgecombe and Bailey though.
Stick to covering football.
Nobody knows who holds what Pick right now cause the draft lottery hasn’t even happened