Hornets summer league grades: Sion James

Everyone expected the Charlotte Hornets to lean into drafting a center after they traded Mark Williams for the 29th pick in this draft (that became Liam McNeeley) and a future first. Sion James marked the third non-center drafted by the Hornets, which had fans in a tizzy about the plan for the team. The front office eventually landed a center with the next pick, which eased a lot of concerns. It also meant that the selection of James has been somewhat overlooked relative to his draftmates.

James was brought into be a defensive dawg and an offensive connector. That’s what he did at Duke, and that’s always going to be his role in the pros. However, it’s hard to stand out in that kind of role…