CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s already making the rounds.

Long before the Charlotte Hornets’ season wrapped up, triggering the next phase of the team’s seemingly yearly reconstruction, the jokes were flowing on social media and via word of mouth. With the 2024 NBA draft class being widely labeled as one of the worst in recent memory — and the type that could get someone fired in a couple of years for picking the wrong player — as one league executive told The Charlotte Observer, many assume this will be the year.

As in when the Hornets finally land the No. 1 selection.

Most times, with the latest example coming last year when they were runner-up to San Antonio in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, the Hornets get the short end of the draft lottery draw. Just bring up two words — Anthony Davis — and it still stings to this day.

That’s why an uncomfortable chuckle emanates from the mouths of many Charlotte fans when discussing the possibility of what could happen in Chicago on May 12. It’s when the Hornets, who formally won a tiebreaker with Portland on Monday, will find out exactly where they will pick in the draft on June 26. They have a 13.3% chance of winning the lottery, which is third-best behind the 14% of Detroit and Washington.

At least they know one thing: they won’t pick anywhere below seventh. That’s as far as they can fall in the 14-team race for No. 1, which certainly lacks the typical excitement that usually surrounds the unveiling on national television.

Here’s a look at five players the Hornets could select in the draft depending on where they wind up in the final pecking order. They’re listed alphabetically.

Stephon Castle, Connecticut, SF, 6-6

Coming from championship stock never hurts and that’s exactly what he brings to the table. He helped the Huskies’ during their 37-win run en route to cutting down the nets at the Final Four in Arizona earlier this month.

Defense is his specialty and that capability to blossom into a 3-and-D player — as in someone who shoots well beyond the arc and also guards more than one position well — has prospective employers drooling at his potential. During his 32 appearances in his freshman campaign, he averaged 10.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists, draining 47% of his attempts and 26.2% from 3-point range.

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