Hornets get the 13th pick in the NBA draft. Here are 4 players they should consider there

PJ Washington’s lucky charms apparently didn’t work. Same goes for David Duquette’s.

The Charlotte Hornets were seeking to change their fortunes in Tuesday night’s NBA Draft Lottery, hoping to move up to claim one of the top positions in the June 23 draft. But the presence of Washington, their third-year big man representing them on the dais in Chicago, and Duquette, the team’s assistant general manager who was in the room when the actual drawing took place, couldn’t sway the odds enough in the Hornets’ favor.

Longshots to win the lottery — they had a 1 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall selection — the Hornets were awarded the 13th selection. That’s where they had the best odds of landing given they had a 92.8 percent probability of sliding into that slot.

Orlando won the top pick and Oklahoma City, Houston and Sacramento rounded out the first four positions.

Now that the Hornets know exactly where they will be drafting, they can move forward with figuring out how to best utilize their selections. Besides holding the 13th selection, the Hornets also have the 15th pick from New Orleans thanks to the sign-and-trade sending Devonte’ Graham to the Pelicans in August. They are in a unique position and can package either of the picks — or both — to acquire a player that can give them instant impact.

But if they do decide to hold firm and add two more young players to their core there are a number of directions they could lean toward. Here is a very early look at some players who could be a good fit for the Hornets should they elect to keep both first-round picks.

MARK WILLIAMS

School: Duke

Class: Soph.

Position: Center

Height/weight: 7-0/242

The skinny: Possesses good size and strength that could translate well to the next level. Averaged 11.7 points and 7.4 rebounds, connecting on 72.1 percent of his shots this past season with the Blue Devils. He’s adept at cleaning the glass and is a rim protector, which are two areas the Hornets need to desperately improve.

JOHNNY DAVIS

School: Wisconsin

Class: Soph.

Position: SF

Height/weight: 6-5/194

The skinny: Is a high-volume scorer who averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists, proving he isn’t simply one-dimensional. His ability to be a playmaker for others while also mixing it up inside on the boards puts him among some of the top at his position in the draft. He’s considered one of the more polished players in his class.

TARI EASON

School: LSU

Class: Soph.

Position: SF/PF

Height/weight: 6-8/215

The skinny: A combo forward who’s athletic and is a solid defender, he could be slotted into multiple positions and would give them a young insurance policy on the wing if they have to part with any of the ones currently on the roster this offseason. He averaged 16.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 2021-22, shooting 35.9 percent from 3-point range.

JALEN DURAN

School: Memphis

Class: Fresh.

Position: C

Height/weight: 6-11/250

The skinny: Raw and big, he is a bit of a project and needs time to develop. A leaper with athleticism, he can be another running mate for the Hornets and their uptempo style under LaMelo Ball. His lengthy 7-5 wingspan means he can help clog up the paint and eat up space inside, possibly making it tougher for guards who penetrate and break down the defense to finish easily at the rim.