New Orleans Hornets: 2009 NBA Draft

Devin Brown (Player option)

Sean Marks

Heading into this season the Hornets were widely believed to be on the verge of becoming a new powerhouse in the West. Then they went out and won seven less games than the year before and tried, unsuccessfully, to trade away Tyson Chandler. Now it appears that the young core of the team is going to be broken up. The Hornets organization does not want to have to pay the NBA luxury tax next season (expected to be around the $70 million mark), and with next year’s payroll already locked in at $76 million, something has to give. So expect high-priced stars Chandler or David West to be shipped out in the off-season.

Cheap, young talent - which is what the NBA draft is all about. Considering one of their top bigs will probably be dealt, they could use a big body with their only pick in June’s draft. Even if West and Chandler stick around for 09/10, the team still needs some frontcourt depth.

At pick #21 there should be plenty of big men for the Hornets to choose from. Patrick Patterson, Gani Lawal, BJ Mullens, Tyler Hansbrough, DeJuan Blair- the list goes on and on. The best of that bunch is probably Paterson, who could turn out to be a poor man’s Elton Brand (i.e. undersized but strong with a long wingspan). If they’re willing to take a risk and be patient (and are desperate enough for a center) they could take a flier on Mullens.

2008: Darrell Arthur (27)
2007: Julian Wright (13), Adam Haluska (43)
2006: Hilton Armstrong (12), Cedric Simmons (15), Marcus Vinicius (43)
2005: Chris Paul (4), Brandon Bass (33)
2004: J.R. Smith (18), Tim Pickett (44)
2003: David West (18), James Lang (48)
2002: No picks
2001: Kirk Haston (16)
2000: Jamaal Magloire (19)