The NBA currently has 30 teams, but that will likely change in the near future as the league looks to expand to 32.

In a recent article on ESPN, multiple contributors helped form a mock draft where Seattle and Las Vegas, the two most likely expansion cities, alternated picks. The lone Charlotte Hornet to be selected? Forward Grant Williams.

“Williams is a proven postseason player who can guard multiple positions and hit 3s and is on a contract worth roughly $28 million over the next two seasons. That’s a combination that can net me a positive asset in return, and at this point in the draft that is what I’m looking to do.”

If/when expansion takes place, said team(s) will have to operate under a reduced salary cap for the first two seasons. So, no, LaMelo Ball or Miles Bridges won’t be the face of an expansion team. A couple of other Hornets that I believe could be appealing to said team though would be Tre Mann and Nick Richards.

Mann is a former first-round pick who finally found some playing time toward the end of last season with the Hornets and really shined. In 28 games, he averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. The fact that he’s only 23 years old makes him an even more intriguing option.

As for Richards, no, he’s not someone who can be a high-level player as a starter but he can fill in as an expansion team’s starting center to begin and give you quality play. Over the last year or so, several teams around the league have called the Hornets about his availability.

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