Why Hornets Turnover Woes Make VJ Edgecombe a MUST-DRAFT + Our Hottest Draft Takes

NOTE: There's an issue with Walker's audio when we share our screen. I've done my best to rectify it. Apologies. --db

In this episode of Locked On Hornets, Doug Branson and Walker Mehl take a deep dive into the Hornets’ glaring deficiency in the one stat that’s quietly defining postseason success: turnover differential. Building off a powerful analysis from Yhe F5 Substack, Doug reveals how the Hornets’ inability to protect the basketball or create turnovers puts them behind even teams like Portland and Utah. You’ll hear how elite teams like OKC and Indiana leverage ball control, and why the Hornets—ranked near dead last—are in trouble unless things change.

Read Doug's Substack Article: https://hornets.substack.com/p/i-charted-the-hornets-are-losers

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Doug charts where key Hornets land on the turnover impact spectrum and explains why LaMelo Ball’s quiet improvement in turnover percentage might hint at untapped upside. The guys also dive into a hot take draft segment where Doug declares Dylan Harper the true prize of the draft—even ahead of Cooper Flagg—while Walker goes all-in on VJ Edgecombe as a franchise saver.

Plus:

Why Cade, LaMelo, and Haliburton form a revealing triangle of guard styles

Who Doug calls a "bleep-hole defender" the Hornets need

The second-round center who could outshine Maluach

If you care about roster building, the draft, and what’s really killing the Hornets’ postseason hopes, this episode delivers.

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Get Doug's gamenotes, special articles and a podcast on Hornets history at the Every Hornets Boxscore substack: everyhornetsboxscore.com

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Top 35 Hornets Nicknames of All-Time According to Doug Branson: https://hornets.substack.com/p/the-top-35-nicknames-in-hornets-franchise

Top 35 Hornets of All-Time According to Walker Mehl: https://hornets.substack.com/p/the-top-35-players-in-hornets-history

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