Just 24 hours after [parting ways with former franchise center](https://swarmandsting.com/mark-williams-trade-undeniably-proves-hornets-on-path-toward-contention) Mark Williams, the Charlotte Hornets officially ushered in a new era. With Williams headed to the Phoenix Suns, Charlotte took advantage of having two early second-round draft picks at its disposal.
After selecting Sion James at No. 33 overall, it added center Ryan Kalkbrenner at No. 34 to fill the void it didn't even have time to worry about addressing.
Charlotte selected Williams at No. 15 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. He'd won the 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year award during his lone season with the Duke Blue Devils and represented an opportunity for the Hornets to anchor their interior with a captivating talent.
Williams has delivered when he's been on the court, as evidenced by his averages of 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 offensive boards, 2.5 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.7 steals in just 26.6 minutes per game.
Unfortunately, Williams has missed 140 games between his first three NBA seasons. That's inevitably played a part in Charlotte's inability to build a sustainably strong team, as one of the most important players on the roster simply hasn't been available on a consistent basis.
After a failed physical was the only thing that stood in the way of Charlotte moving Williams at the 2025 NBA trade deadline, they've finally completed a deal at the draft—and instantly replaced him.
Ryan Kalkbrenner instantly replaces Mark Williams as Hornets' center
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