The Hornets are back in a draft lane they haven’t occupied much lately, and the last decade offers a pretty useful map for what might be waiting at No. 14 and No. 18.
Charlotte used both of its first-round selections in the 2026 NBA Draft, taking Washington center Hannes Steinbach 14th overall and Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson 18th overall. It’s the latest the Hornets have picked since they took Jalen Duren and then swapped him for Mark Williams in 2022, which makes this a different kind of draft night for a franchise that has spent most of this decade near the top of the board.
There’s no clean formula for projecting exactly what those picks turn into, but the recent history around those slots does paint a picture. At No. 14 over the last 10 drafts, the names include Carter Bryant, Bub Carrington, Jordan Hawkins, Ochai Agbaji, Moses Moody, Aaron Nesmith, Romeo Langford, Michael Porter Jr., Bam Adebayo and Denzel Valentine. That’s a mixed bag, but the top end is loud: Michael Porter Jr. and Bam Adebayo stand out as the biggest hits, while Aaron Nesmith has put together a pretty solid career and Bub Carrington already looks like he could become a steady NBA player.
For Charlotte, that’s the kind of ceiling that makes Steinbach interesting. A Bam Adebayo-level outcome would be the dream, even if the two players are very different.
The point is less about style and more about impact - a multi-time All-Star and one of the league’s best at his position is the kind of return that can change everything. That said, it’s not the standard to expect.
The broader neighborhood from picks 14 through 18 may actually be the best guide for what the Hornets are getting. That stretch from the past 10 drafts includes Juancho Hernangomez, Guerschon Yabusele, Wade Baldwin, Justin Jackson, Justin Patton, DJ. Wilson, Troy Brown Jr., Zhaire Smith, Donte DiVencenzo, Sekou Doumbouya, Chuma Okeke, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Cole Anthony, Isaiah Stewart, Aleksej Pokusevski, Corey Kispert, Alperen Sengun, Trey Murphy III, Mark Williams, AJ Griffin, Tari Eason, Kobe Bufkin, Keyonte George, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Kel’el Ware, Jared McCain, Dalton Knecht, Thomas Sorber, Yang Hansen and Joan Beringer.
That group gives a fuller picture of the kind of talent that can still be found in this range. It’s where you find plenty of solid NBA pieces, and a few names that have already become real successes: Donte DiVencenzo, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Isaiah Stewart, Alperen Sengun, Trey Murphy III, Keyonte George and Kel’el Ware all stand out.
No. 18 tells a slightly different story, but it’s still encouraging for Anderson. Walter Clayton, Tristan Da Silva, Jaime Jacquez Jr., Dalen Terry, Tre Mann, Josh Green, Goga Bitadze, Lonnie Walker IV, T.J.
Leaf and Henry Ellenson make up the last 10 picks at that spot, and the range of outcomes is obvious. Tre Mann and Josh Green are familiar names for Hornets fans, even if Charlotte didn’t draft them.
The bigger takeaway is that the 18th pick has quietly produced better players than you might expect over the last 10 drafts.
The impact level changes from player to player, but the message for Charlotte is simple enough: there’s still real value sitting in this part of the draft, and Christian Anderson Jr. has a chance to be one of those useful pieces.
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Hornets Suddenly Face One Huge Question Before Free Agency Begins
Charlottes offseason has already been defined by subtraction, and now the next move may matter even more than the ones the Hornets have made so far. Losing LaMelo Ball, Josh Green and Miles Bridges has stripped away a big chunk of the rotation, and general manager Jeff Peterson has made clear the club is not locking itself into any one path as free agency approaches.
That leaves Charlotte in the kind of position where every roster decision can start to overlap with the next one. The Hornets can look at outside help, explore trade options or try to thread the needle with their current frontcourt mix, but the real challenge is finding a move that actually fits the reset. Some of the names that could surface bring obvious talent, yet each comes with a different roster puzzle, and the answer may depend on how bold Charlotte wants to be in a summer that is still wide open. [Read more 🡒]