Community Shootaround: Hornets’ First-Round Picks
The Hornets are one of six NBA teams with two first-round picks in the 2026 NBA draft. The team controls the final lottery pick (No. 14 overall) and has another selection a few spots later (No. 18).
Since he was named head of basketball operations two years ago, Jeff Peterson drafted Tidjane Salaun (No. 6 overall) and KJ Simpson (No. 42) in 2024 and Kon Knueppel (No. 4), Sion James (No. 33) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34) in 2025.
Peterson also acquired a fourth selection — Liam McNeeley (29th overall) — from Phoenix last year as part of the Mark Williams trade. The Suns still owe the Hornets a 2029 first-rounder as part of that deal, though it includes least favorable language (Charlotte also send Phoenix a 2029 second-round pick).
The Hornets have 12 players on guaranteed contracts for next season, with Coby White being their main free agent. Peterson has said the team wants to retain the high-scoring combo guard. If Charlotte re-signs White and keeps both first-rounders, it would be at the regular season limit of 15 players on standard deals.
Whether the Hornets actually keep both picks is an open question. Teams with multiple selections — particularly two first-round picks — are often cited as clubs that might be interested in moving up or trading for a future first-round pick. Packaging them in an aggressive win-now move is another possibility.
Peterson spoke glowingly about the 2026 class at his end-of-season press conference in April.
“I’m very excited about this draft,” Peterson said. “It’s if not the deepest, one of the deepest that I’ve ever been a part of. A lot of good players all over the draft, of course. But again, where we are from an asset standpoint, it’s going to allow us to be flexible. So whether that means we bring two players in, consolidate, we’ll have different options that we’ll continue to explore and look at.
“But I’m excited for whoever we bring in because I know that it’s going to be someone who is a Hornet, and about what we’re about and at some point will contribute to what we are building here.”
While Charlotte had a poor start to last season and extended the longest active drought in the NBA by missing the playoffs for the 10th straight year, there are reasons for optimism going forward. The Hornets ended 2025/26 on a 33-15 run and have a promising young core. They have a chance to add two more young players to that mix in a few weeks.
Some talent evaluators have several guards and forwards ranked in the middle of the first round. For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo had Charlotte selecting Mexican forward Karim Lopez with the 14th pick and German big man Hannes Steinbach at No. 18 in his latest mock draft, though that was in mid-May. Jake Fischer reported on Friday that the Hornets are looking for a center upgrade, with Mitchell Robinson a potential target.
We want to know what you think. Will the Hornets stand pat and keep both of their first-round picks? If so, which prospects do you think they should target? If not, do you think they’ll try to package the picks to move up or perhaps make a more aggressive win-now trade? Head to the comment section to weigh in.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Have Worked Out For Thunder
Michigan big men Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. are among the prospects who have had individual pre-draft workouts with the Thunder, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required).
Lendeborg ranks 12th on ESPN’s big board, while Johnson comes two spots behind at 14th. The Thunder currently control two first-round picks (Nos. 12 and 17) and one second-rounder (No. 37) in this month’s draft, which will take place on June 23 and June 24.
Projected lottery pick Nate Ament, who previously confirmed he worked out for Oklahoma City, is also on Martinez’s list, as are Santa Clara forward Allen Graves and Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance. Graves and Quaintance are considered likely first-round picks, ranking 17th and 22nd on ESPN’s board, respectively.
The Thunder have also hosted several other players during the pre-draft process, per Martinez, including Alex Karaban (No. 30 on ESPN’s board), Emanuel Sharp (No. 45), Izaiyah Nelson (No. 47), Tamin Lipsey (No. 69) and Rafael Castro (No. 73).
Fischer’s Latest: Sabonis, Hawks, Porzingis, Wade, Ellis
Rival teams are expecting the Kings to make Domantas Sabonis available in trade talks again this summer after he stayed with Sacramento through the February deadline, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer writes, the Kings are facing a significant cap crunch this offseason and are “known to be looking” to reduce their payroll if they can. Sabonis may more draw more interest than some of the team’s other pricey veterans, Fischer notes. That group also includes Zach LaVine (if he picks up his $49MM player option as expected), DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:
- In addition to the Bulls, Lakers, Hornets and Raptors, whom Fischer linked to Mitchell Robinson, the Hawks are another team eyeing frontcourt reinforcements this offseason. Fischer suggests the team may be in the market for a backup to Onyeka Okongwu rather than a starting five.
- The Warriors are optimistic about their chances of re-signing Kristaps Porzingis to a more team-friendly contract after he made $30.7MM last season while appearing in just 32 regular season games, per Fischer. However, if a deal falls through, Golden State would likely be in the mix for center help too.
- Cleveland essentially had to pick between re-signing Sam Merrill or Ty Jerome last offseason due to the team’s high payroll — even after significant cost-cutting moves ahead of the deadline, the Cavaliers were the only team to finish over the second tax apron in 2025/26. A similar situation could play out this summer, according to Fischer, with the Cavs expected to prioritize retaining Dean Wade over deadline addition Keon Ellis. Fischer hears Wade could command a “healthy portion” of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which starts at $15MM next season and projects to be worth up to $64.7MM over four years. Ellis’ stock may be trending in the opposite direction after he didn’t play much for Cleveland in the postseason, Fischer adds.
Mitchell Robinson Increasing Value Ahead Of Free Agency?
Mitchell Robinson appears to be increasing his value ahead of unrestricted free agency, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), who reports that the Knicks‘ backup center is expected to receive “significant” external interest this offseason.
Fischer compares Robinson’s situation to that of his former teammate Isaiah Hartenstein in 2024. Hartenstein signed a three-year, $87MM contract with the Thunder that summer, though only the first two seasons were guaranteed (2026/27 is a team option).
It remains to be seen whether Robinson will command that significant of a payday, but sources tell Fischer the Bulls, Hornets, Lakers and Raptors are all considered potential suitors for the 28-year-old big man, who’s a strong, versatile defender and an elite rebounder, particularly on the offensive glass.
Chicago could have up to $56MM in cap room this offseason and Los Angeles could choose to operate under the cap as well. The Hornets and Raptors appear likely to have the full mid-level exception (projected to be worth $64.7MM over four years) available. All four teams are “known to be looking for center upgrades,” according to Fischer.
Robinson’s playing time has been reduced somewhat in the playoffs in part because of his struggles at the charity stripe: he’s only converting 32.0% of his 3.3 free throws per game through 15 postseason appearances (14.1 minutes per contest).
Still, Robinson has been impactful when he’s not being intentionally fouled. He drew praise from head coach Mike Brown and Karl-Anthony Towns for his late-game defense on Victor Wembanyama following New York’s Game 2 victory over San Antonio, Fischer notes, and he stayed pretty healthy throughout 2025/26 (60 regular season games) after missing extended time in recent years due to injuries.
A former second-round pick, Robinson has spent all eight of his NBA seasons to this point with the Knicks, who selected him 36th overall in the 2018 draft. New York holds a 2-0 lead on San Antonio in the NBA Finals, with both victories coming on the road.
The Knicks have Robinson’s Bird rights and there’s technically nothing preventing them from re-signing him, though the team projects to be over the second tax apron next season if it chooses to go that route. Given Robinson’s importance to the Knicks’ success, it would certainly be difficult to replace him.
And-Ones: Goodwin, Ibaka, Pachulia, NBA Free Agents
Barcelona has shown interest in former NBA guard Brandon Goodwin, who starred in China this past season, Alessandro Maggi of Sportando relays.
According to an Encestando report, the European club has been in contact with Goodwin, who led the Shanghai Sharks to a Chinese league title. Goodwin, 30, averaged 17.6 points and 7.0 assists during the season and was named CBA Finals MVP after posting 29 points and 9.0 assists per game in the series. Goodwin played in 133 NBA games, most recently with Cleveland in 2021/22 when he made 36 appearances.
Here’s more from around the international basketball world:
- If it were up to Serge Ibaka, Montreal would have an NBA team. With NBA expansion a hot topic, the former big man declared that Montreal “deserves” a franchise, according to Eurohoops.net. “The way things are here, it’s a beautiful city. I feel people love sport in general here,” he said during a promotional event.
- Another former NBA big man, Zaza Pachulia, is investing in a different sport. He and his wife, Tika, recently joined the ownership group of Major League Volleyball’s newest team that will be based out of Northern California, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. The team will begin play in 2027.
- The Pistons re-sign Jalen Duren for $200MM over five years, starting at $34.5 million. The Hawks re-sign CJ McCollum at $40MM over two years with a team option, starting at $20MM. And how about this? The Warriors sign LeBron James at $30.8MM over two years with a player option, starting at the $15MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Those are just some of the predictions made by Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus regarding prominent free agents entering this summer’s market.
Thunder Won’t Look To Move Chet Holmgren
Chet Holmgren remains a fixture on the Thunder roster despite his underwhelming performance in the Western Conference Finals. Oklahoma City has no interest in dealing away Holmgren, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
While the Thunder face some difficult roster decisions over the next few weeks, including team options on Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort and Kenrich Williams, a Holmgren trade won’t be under consideration, says Fischer.
Holmgren was badly outplayed by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in the conference finals, as he averaged 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in the series. That included a Game 7 clunker in which he contributed just four points and four rebounds in 33 minutes.
Holmgren, who was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive first team this season and was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, is entering the first year of a five-year maximum-salary extension. Fischer notes that Holmgren’s length and impact on defense, paired with his floor-spacing ability, is difficult to replace.
Oklahoma City could be active on the trade market but are more likely to make some moves regarding its draft picks. The Thunder hold the 12th, 17th, and 37th picks in this month’s draft. Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins could be dealt to help the team avoid the second tax apron, Fischer adds.
League sources tell Fischer that Oklahoma City remains unlikely to enter the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. While they have the young talent and draft picks to make a serious offer to the Bucks, Sam Presti isn’t the type of GM who would surrender that type of capital for a star player, particularly one already past the age of 30.
The Bucks are trending toward an Antetokounmpo trade between now and the draft because Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam essentially established such a timeline in early May.
Nets Two-Way Player E.J. Liddell Heading To Europe
Nets two-way player E.J. Liddell is apparently heading overseas to continue his career.
Greece’s Aris B.C. has reached a two-year deal with Liddell, with only the official announcement pending, according to Eurohoops’ Johnny Askounis. Liddell’s two-way deal, signed in September, covered just one season, so he was on track for free agency this summer.
Liddell appeared in 26 games, including five starts, with Brooklyn this season. He averaged 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting 48.6 percent from the field. He did most of his damage during five April contests, averaging 18.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game during that stretch.
The 6’6” forward also appeared in 26 G League games with the Long Island Nets, averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in 29.3 minutes per outing.
Liddell was the 41st overall pick in the 2022 draft but tore his ACL in the Summer League just a few weeks later, wiping out his rookie season. The 25-year-old appeared in just 20 NBA games for the Pelicans and Bulls before he joined the Nets.
Knicks Notes: KAT, Reserves, Bridges, Brunson, Hart
Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns delivered another solid performance in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday, supplying 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes in New York’s thrilling 105-104 victory. He was also a plus-11 in his 34 minutes, Zach Braziller of the New York Post notes.
Towns has gotten the better of Spurs star Victor Wembanyama most of the series. The only thing that held him back was foul trouble, which limited his third quarter minutes.
“For me, I’m just happy to be finding ways to win,” Towns said. “I’m just worried about the team result, which is winning. … This team leans on each other. I think that’s why we’ve gotten here. That’s why we had the success we had during the regular season, even when things weren’t going great because at the end of the day when things do get tough, and the trials and tribulations do present themselves, this team doesn’t disband. They don’t go away from each other. We lean into each other even more.”
Towns has been drawing inspiration from his late mother, Jacqueline Cruz, who died in 2020, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- New York’s bench accounted for 27 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2, and Mitchell Robinson defended Wembanyama when the Spurs’ star missed a jumper in the closing seconds that would have won the game. “Our effort, it’s been crazy,” Robinson said, per Raul Dominguez of The Associated Press. “We just came out there just fighting, you know, talking to each other. Communication, that’s been key for us.” Landry Shamet, Miles McBride and Jose Alvarado also contributed to the second unit’s success. “Somebody is always there,” coach Mike Brown said. “Again, a lot of contributions from a lot of guys, and that’s why you like having a team, because it could be anybody’s night on any given night. Our guys don’t care. They sacrifice for one another and we found a way to get a win.”
- Mikal Bridges played a key role again in the Knicks’ 13th straight playoff win. He had 20 points on 13 shots along with six rebounds and six assists. The Knicks still owe the Nets four first-round picks courtesy of the Bridges trade, but it’ll be worth it for a championship, SNY’s Ian Begley writes. Bridges has excelled in the postseason. “Just that desperation,” he said. “You know, that desperation of trying to be the last team standing and trying to do whatever it takes to help my team win. There’s nothing after June. You don’t play again until October. So just try to give it all that I got and do whatever it takes for this team.”
- Jalen Brunson wound up hitting the game-winning free throw after a Wembanyama turnover, masking his rough shooting night. He went 7-for-25 from the field and also missed the second free throw, which gave San Antonio a chance to win on the final possession, Howie Kussoy of the New York Post notes. “For J.B., you call it rough shooting nights, I see him hitting the free throw to give us the game,” Towns said.
- The Knicks overcame Josh Hart‘s scoreless outing, Braziller notes. Hart only played 18 minutes due to foul trouble, which thwarted his usual all-around impact, Braziller writes.
Southeast Notes: Jaquez, Heat, Giannis, Hornets, Ball
Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Jaime Jaquez Jr. says he’s trying not to pay attention to the trade chatter involving Giannis Antetokounmpo, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Jaquez has been working out recently at the Heat‘s arena, but he’s currently in São Paulo, Brazil for an NBA event connected to the Finals, according to Winderman. The 25-year-old forward is rumored to be part of Miami’s offer for the Bucks superstar.
“I feel like it’s just the way it is on the Miami Heat team,” Jaquez said of the speculation amid management’s annual search for upgrades. “I think that it’s kind of normal. I’ve been here for, what, three years now? And every summer there’s a big rumor. So I’ve kind of just gotten to get out of the country and, you know, see new things.”
Jaquez, a former first-round pick (18th overall in 2023), will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. The versatile forward said he’d love to sign a long-term deal.
“I mean, I think that’d be incredible,” Jaquez said. “I think people always talk about it’s not the first contract, it’s the second one that really sets you up for a great life after basketball. It’s been great so far, the year that I’ve been having, the years that I spent in Miami. And I think an extension would be great, obviously. That’s what players search for, and I’m no different.”
Here’s more from the Southeast:
- In a mailbag for The Miami Herald, Anthony Chiang answers a question about why the Heat are willing to possibly impact their future by pursuing Antetokounmpo. As Chiang observes, Miami currently has six of its own first-round picks (Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Jaquez, Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis) on the roster but none of those players were selected higher than 13th overall and none have the potential to raise the team’s ceiling like the two-time Bucks MVP.
- The Hornets control two first-round picks (Nos. 14 and 18) in June’s draft. Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer examines the players who have been selected at those two spots over the past 10 years, with Adebayo (14th in 2017) being the most accomplished at the NBA level.
- A lawsuit against Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball is moving closer to trial, per Hank Lee of WCNC Charlotte. Ball is accused of injuring a child’s foot with his car as he was leaving the Spectrum Center after a team scrimmage in October 2023. The plaintiff, the child’s mother, is seeking $3.75MM in damages, according to Lee, who says Ball has denied the allegations. The trial is slated to begin the week of June 15.
Western Notes: Gafford, Queen, A. Green, Clippers
After battling a nagging right ankle sprain throughout the 2025/26 season, Mavericks center Daniel Gafford said on Friday that he’s taking his time to fully recover before resuming on-court work, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter video link).
“I’m getting there. The rehab is good. I’m staying consistent. I’m holding myself accountable to just take care of my body … I don’t want to rush anything,” Gafford said. “Whenever I get back on the court and do all the workouts, I want to be 100% healthy.”
Gafford was limited to 55 regular season appearances this season due to the injury, which he sustained on the first day of training camp last fall. He averaged 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.7 minutes per game.
The 27-year-old big man was also asked for his early impressions of new president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri and the changes he’s made to the organization so far (Twitter video link via Curtis).
“It is a business. I’m not necessarily surprised when it comes to some of the things that he’s done with the organization because I’m pretty sure he already had that in his back pocket when he got hired,” Gafford said. “I’m just sitting back and watching from afar. … I’ve yet to get the chance to sit down and talk with him, but he made sure he called me and we had a good conversation on the phone.”
We have more from around the Western Conference:
- Pelicans center Derik Queen reconnected with former teammate Jose Alvarado and asked Karl-Anthony Towns for advice in his role as a player correspondent at the NBA Finals on Wednesday, as Rashad Milligan of NOLA.com relays. “I mean, you already are superbly talented,” Towns said. “I’ve seen it firsthand. I think, for me, it’d be more about locking into the film consistently. Never leave the gym, be infatuated with the work. I know it’s weird, but JB [Jalen Brunson] has it on his shirt, but the magic really is in the work. The real gift about experience is that you’ll find ways to accomplish the same goal and get the stats with using way less energy. And with that, that’s where experience really kicks in, and it’s a beauty.”
- The Pelicans have made another addition to their front office, hiring Amanda Green as executive strategy and analytics, the team announced (via Twitter). Green is a longtime former Thunder executive who got her start in San Antonio and previously held a role in the league office, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. New Orleans hired Thomas Scott on Thursday to be the general manager of the team’s G League affiliate.
- Wisconsin guard Nick Boyd, Arizona guard Anthony Dell’Orso, Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder, Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton, Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn and BYU center Keba Keita are among the players who have worked out for the Clippers this week, league sources tell Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). Thorton is the top-ranked prospect in that group on ESPN’s big board, coming in at No. 52. Los Angeles currently controls the fifth, 36th and 52nd picks in this month’s draft.