The future of the Charlotte Hornets will reportedly be decided by the team's outgoing majority owner. Michael Jordan, who agreed to sell the Hornets this past Friday, will have the final say on who Charlotte takes with the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, general manager Mitch Kupchak said Wednesday.
"Michael is still in control and will be in control of the club through the draft and through free agency," Kupchak <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://twitter.com/SteveReedAP/status/1671553412721246212?s=20">said</a>.
This is odd, but not a surprise. Although ownership of the Hornets will transfer to a group led by minority owner Gabe Plotkin and Atlanta Hawks minority owner Rick Schnall after it's approved by the league, it was reported that Jordan would continue to oversee basketball operations through the summer.
What's weirder is why the Hornets would let Jordan remain in control despite no tangible evidence he is a good draft talent evaluator.
Only one of Charlotte's 13 draft picks — LaMelo Ball —has been named an All-Star since Jordan became majority owner in 2013. Ball is also the only one of Charlotte's four top-10 picks since 2013 to still be on the team. The best player the Hornets drafted over that span — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with the No. 11 pick in 2018 — was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers during draft night for Miles Bridges, who went on to have a solid four-year career before Charlotte released him over domestic violence allegations.
The Hornets' 382-493 record during Jordan's ownership tenure also ranks 24th in the NBA since 2013. Charlotte also only made the postseason twice over that span and not once since 2015. They lost in the first round both times to LeBron James' Miami Heat squads.
This year's No. 2 pick will be Charlotte's highest selection since 2004 when the then-Bobcats took Emeka Okafor. This time around, Charlotte is reportedly interested in Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller. Both were made aware of the sale before their scheduled visits with Jordan and the team on Monday. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski later reported the Hornets prefer Miller over Henderson after his workout with Jordan, although Yahoo Sports' Krysten Peek still has Henderson penciled in as the pick in her most recent mock draft.
It's an important pick for the Hornets and one that new ownership will seemingly have less input in making on Thursday.
