The 2026 NBA Draft is shaping up to be one of the most historic classes in recent memory, and the Charlotte Hornets enter it armed with two first‑round picks (No. 14 and No. 18). With less than 48 hours until the selections begin, the questions surrounding what the Hornets inevitably do keep on mounting.
Charlotte made meaningful progress last season, but the next step is clear: make the playoffs. Missing on these picks could keep the Hornets on the outside looking in.
Some players in this class carry red flags the Hornets simply can’t afford to gamble on. These are the three riskiest draft prospects Charlotte should avoid as draft night approaches.
3 Risky NBA Draft Prospects the Hornets Should Avoid
Karim Lopez, Forward – New Zealand
There’s a good chance Karim Lopez is the first international prospect off the board Tuesday night. He is the “jack of all trades” player who can do a little bit of everything. While that may seem intriguing to some teams, taking a low-floor 3-and-D player in the lottery seems misguided.
Offensively, he’s great at getting downhill. While the Hornets could use more slashing ability, he’s not a good 3-point shooter. He was able to score effectively in the NBL, but without an outside shot, that task gets harder for Lopez when he can’t blow past defenders so easily. Lopez shot 32.6% from deep this past season.
As far as defensive instincts, he’s very comparable to Tidjane Salaun. While they both have larger frames to deal with not getting bullied and absorbing contact, there are lapses of judgement off-ball. With how the Hornets are constructed right now, adding a defensive liability in Lopez is not a wise move.
Lopez is a long-term project and not someone who will immediately contribute day one. Without a truly elite trait to bet on, it’s hard to justify investing a valuable pick in a prospect that won’t move the needle. The Hornets already have projects with Liam McNeeley and Salaun to develop.
Chris Cenac Jr., Big – Houston
Chris Cenac Jr. has the prototypical frame of an NBA big. He measured in at 6’10.25″ barefoot, 240 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine. Cenac also has a 7’5” wingspan and a 9’0.5″ standing reach. The problem is that he never played as his size suggests.
The Hornets are looking for players who will be able to embody physicality. A big who settles for significantly more mid‑range jumpers than rim attempts clearly hasn’t proven he can post up or attack the basket with any real force.
A player of his size should have dominated more statistically at Houston. While he has the athletic traits to improve in this area, it’s a headscratcher from a prospect perspective. With a 2.6% block rate, he’s also not entering the NBA with a decorated rim-protecting profile.
Cenac projects as another player who won’t be making an impact for an NBA team on day one. There are plenty of other bigs the Hornets should target in the 2026 NBA Draft or free agency that don’t come with so many question marks. If making the playoffs is a priority, then Cenac should be a prospect to avoid.
Nate Ament, Forward – Tennessee
The allure of Nate Ament makes sense. He’s a 6’10” wing who can create for himself, handle the ball, and get to the free-throw line, all while averaging 17 points per game in the SEC at 19 years old. The upside is probably not Kevin Durant, but certainly a starter-level player if everything comes together at the next level.
The first problem that stands is roster overlap. Taking Ament in a previous draft, like 2024 or 2025, would have made a ton of sense, as the Hornets weren’t viewed as a competitive team. Fast forward to today, and they are going to have Salaun, McNeeley and Ament all battling for a rotational spot.
The second would be that he was extremely inefficient in college (sub 40% from the field). LaMelo Ball’s development is already hinging on that trait, so adding another unproductive scorer right now shouldn’t excite fans.
The Hornets are on the precipice of ending the longest active playoff drought in the NBA, so adding another raw wing to the roster doesn’t help them win now if the rookie ends up playing with the Greensboro Swarm for most of the year.
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