The next big news for the Hornets will be in about a week when the NBA Draft Lottery takes place. We were in and out of the playoffs during the season, aside from the last two weeks or so. Clearly we have needs to fill, and the lottery can better help us understand the type of player that may be available for us in the draft.

We did not tank, so nobody has us getting a top lottery pick. It is statistically unlikely that this happens at 1.7%, but the Cavaliers did finish with 33 wins last season, the same exact number of games we won. The standings are a bit different this season with four separate teams finishing with under 21 wins. Could lady luck be on our side in the Queen City?

Realistically the Hornets will get either the 9th or the 10th pick, so I figured it would be a good idea to check out some of the guys projected to go in that spot to see how they fit into our roster. You never know who could fall in the draft, so I will have some stretches on this list. Who would have ever thought that we would get Noah Vonleh last year? Not me.

Stanley Johnson (SF)- The top Arizona product of this year has one of the most NBA ready bodies in the draft at 6 foot 8 and 245 lbs. At 18, he looked like a man amongst boys this season on the court for the Wildcats. His offensive abilities tie in with his physical strength as his drives to the basket are very difficult to stop.

Finishing at the basket is not necessarily his strong suit, but the raw skill is there. Jump shooting is something he needs to work on to be a consistent offensive threat in the NBA, shooting at 37% from 3 this season. Johnson also has excellent potential as a defender with his strength and athleticism, averaging 1.5 steals per game this season. On the Hornets, he would be slotted behind Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. With Johnson coming off the bench, the Hornets could have two excellent perimeter defenders at the SF position.

Kelly Oubre (SF)- The former Kansas Jayhawk comes with excellent pedigree and size. He's 6 foot 7 with a 7 foot 1 wingspan and a smooth, slashing style of play that fits many NBA offenses. Oubre also possesses a solid jump shot (35.8% from 3) with good mechanics and a hard nosed defensive instinct on the wings (1.1 steals per).

He was very streaky at Kansas on offense, and is seen as one of the most raw players in the draft. He scored 20+ points only three times this season and had over 20 games where he scored under 10 points. Labeling Oubre as a "project" is likely. His passing and offensive creation is one of the worst in the draft (just 0.8 assists per) and he could stand to add on 10-15 pounds of muscle. He would be slotted behind MKG as well. Hopefully matching up against MKG at practice could form him into a lock down defender on the perimeter.

Kristaps Porzingis (PF)- The Latvian 7-footer is the latest European product projected to be a top-10 pick. His size and finishing ability are reminiscent of a young Dirk Nowitzki. A man of this size who can also shoot a high percentage from beyond the arc (46% from three in 16 games) is coveted for his ability to stretch the floor as well. Hornets fans remember what it was like to have Josh McRoberts on the floor and how that helped our offensive flow. Porzingis also dominates against European competition on the defensive end, getting steals and blocks consistently, averaging roughly 1 block and steal each per game.

He is too frail to dominate like this in the NBA at his current weight (220 lbs) and his speed is something he desperately needs to work on. Passing is not a strong suit of his in the slightest with under 1.0 assits per game in all European competition. With a lot of competition at the PF position on the Hornets, we could see a position battle between Cody Zeller, Marvin Williams, Noah Vonleh, and Porzingis. My money's not on Kristaps.

Trey Lyles (PF)- Another PF in a very forward heavy draft, Lyles was an excellent tool for Kentucky all season as a versatile forward with excellent footwork and a style of play on offense that sees very few turnovers with just 1.1 TO per game in 23.0 minutes. His conditioning and athleticism all improved vastly for the Wildcats this season, as Lyles often came off the bench due to their talent laden roster. He finishes at the basket at a high rate and also has shown some poise with his mid-range game shooting 48.8% from the field.

Lyles needs to work on his jump shot, converting just 13.8% of his threes, as well as defensive efficiency, averaging 0.5 steals and blocks each with superior size in college. Lyles will also have to compete with Zeller, Williams, and Vonleh, if he is to get drafted by the Hornets.

Frank Kaminsky (PF)- I can't believe it's another power forward. The former Badger is one of the oldest players in the draft at 22 years of age. He went from an unknown player his freshman year to a Wooden Award Winner in his senior season. Frank the Tank did it all at Wisco on offense with his handles, shooting (both mid and long range), and passing. On offense he also grew to be an excellent rebounder (8.2 RPG) and shot blocker (1.5 BPG).

His efficiency is something special as a 7-footer, but it will be interesting to see how he works in an offense that does not revolve around him. The biggest question about Kaminsky is his growth as a player. Has he reached the pinnacle of his skill level at 22 years of age? Again he will be thrown into the pit of PF's on the Hornets to compete for minutes, as the roster stands now.

Devin Booker (SG)- Finally a guard! Booker was most threatening Kentucky Wildcats from behind the 3-point line this season shooting 41.1%. He has solid size at 6 foot 6 for a shooting guard, but is not physically imposing to handle with an average wingspan and little explosiveness. His shooting mechanics are fluid and will convert well into a professional system.

Booker is competitive on defense, but is by no means a lockdown defender yet, averaging just 0.4 steals per game in a very good defensive system at UK. A very low risk player, Booker could be a solid pick for the Hornets who could use a knock-down shooter off the bench. He'll be coming off the bench behind Lance Stephenson, one of the worst three point shooters in the league this season at 17.1%. Help us please Devin.

Mario Hezonja (SG)- An FC Barcelona product with great size (6 foot 8, 200 lbs), speed, and jump shooting? Sign me up. Playing on one of the premier Euro League teams and getting minutes is one thing, but to be just 20 years of age is admirable. His offensive game is extremely inconsistent, but that may have to do with the fact that he is playing with so much veteran talent, taking up minutes on the floor. He shoots at 39% from three and 46.5% overall, and is a terror to guard because of his size.

At this stage, Mario is a liability on the defensive end. At times he has looked lazy and without focus on defense. Someone with his size should be putting up better numbers than 0.6 steals and 0.2 blocks against much smaller players. This is his biggest risk, which all international players come with loads of. His body language at times shows that he does not care for his teammates and that all of his focus is on offense. If the Hornets pick him, he will sit behind Lance, giving us much needed 3 point shooting off the bench. It is unlikely that a high caliber European prospect will be happy playing on a small market team like Charlotte and Hezonja's demeanor could be a huge issue down the road.

Did I miss anyone? If so, I'll post a follow-up next week. Let's hope we can get a high pick.