Charlotte enters the 2026 NBA Draft with two first-round picks — their own at No. 14 and a pick from the Orlando Magic at No. 18 — and CBS Sports projects the Hornets selecting Morez Johnson Jr. and Bennett Stirtz. It’s a draft night that gives Charlotte a versatile frontcourt weapon and a steady floor general in one swoop — the kind of balanced pair that a team building around a hot-shooting perimeter core can use to fill its two most persistent needs at minimal cost.

At No. 14, CBS projects Johnson Jr. — the Michigan sophomore who emerged as one of the biggest risers of the draft process. He averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists at Michigan while shooting 34.3% from three, but his combine performance told the richer story: 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds with a 7-foot-3.5 wingspan, elite athleticism, and the defensive IQ to guard multiple positions. CBS describes him as a player who can defend at a high level both inside and outside the arc, and who also exploits mismatches offensively. Michigan’s entire starting frontcourt could go in the lottery, which is a testament to how well the national champions developed their players this season.

The opportunity cost at No. 14 is Cameron Carr — the Baylor sophomore CBS projects to Chicago at No. 15. Carr averaged 18.9 points and shot 37.4% from three on overall splits of 49.4%, and CBS acknowledges he could realistically go in the mid-to-late teens. Charlotte bypassing Carr’s offensive output for Johnson’s two-way versatility reflects the Hornets’ existing offensive depth at the wing and their greater need for frontcourt defenders who can switch across multiple matchups.

At No. 18 (the Orlando pick), CBS takes Stirtz — the Iowa senior who averaged 19.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while shooting 35.8% from three after a remarkable rise from Division II basketball. CBS describes Stirtz as an “efficient point guard who plays at his own pace” with the processing speed to run a half-court offense and the shooting reliability to thrive off-ball as well. After grabbing Johnson with their first pick, addressing the point guard need at No. 18 is a natural and logical follow-up for Charlotte. Stirtz is 23 as a rookie — closer to his ceiling than most — but his floor as a functional NBA point guard is unusually high for a second-lottery pick.

Outlet	Projected Player (Pick 14)
CBS Sports	Morez Johnson Jr.
Bleacher Report	Yaxel Lendeborg
Tankathon	Karim López
Yahoo Sports	Yaxel Lendeborg

Charlotte’s context gives the Johnson pick its strategic logic. Miles Bridges, Josh Green, and Grant Williams all have one year remaining on their contracts, leaving the Hornets’ wing rotation potentially thin heading into next offseason. Johnson’s positional flexibility — capable of playing the four and defending the three through five — provides valuable roster insurance against that volatility. His ability to score on mismatches also gives Charlotte’s offense an interior dimension it has consistently lacked.

The Johnson-Stirtz pairing in particular speaks to the balance Charlotte is building. Johnson brings the defensive versatility and rebounding the Hornets need in the frontcourt; Stirtz brings the half-court floor general skills and reliable shooting that give the offense structure. Charlotte leaves draft night with two first-rounders used against two clear needs — exactly the kind of draft efficiency that separates disciplined organizations from reactive ones. This is not a rebuilding draft; it’s a targeted upgrade at two positions that change the team’s competitive ceiling immediately.