Whether it’s Texas' Tre Johnson or Duke's Kon Knueppel, a segment of Hornets fans are begging for a bucket-getter. Sure, the top four could feature some mix of Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey or VJ Edgecombe (shuffle the names however you want)—but what if the Hornets miss out on that tier?

The Charlotte Hornets faced a potential franchise-defining moment Monday night. With a 14% chance at the No. 1 overall pick — and a 7% chance of falling as low as seventh — their lottery fate was set to shape the franchise’s direction.