Brandon Miller is about to carry a much bigger load in Charlotte, and the early buzz around him says plenty about how the league views his rise.
Bleacher Report placed the Hornets forward at No. 49 on its list of the NBA’s top players entering the season, a notable nod for someone Charlotte now expects to help define what comes next. With LaMelo Ball dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miller becomes the face of the franchise and the player the Hornets will lean on as they move into a new era.
That means more on Miller’s plate on both ends of the offense. Charlotte needs his scoring, but it also needs him to take on more of the playmaking burden now that Ball is gone. The organization clearly believes he’s ready for that jump, and the ranking reflects that confidence is not limited to the Hornets’ building.
The numbers from last season back up why Miller is getting this kind of attention. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.7 blocks across 65 games, while shooting 38.3 percent from three-point range. That kind of production gives Charlotte something real to build around, especially with the team surrounding him with quality role players.
Still, the standard is changing. If the Hornets are going to make noise, Miller may need to climb closer to around 23+ points and five assists a night. He can’t shoulder everything alone, but he does have to be the engine.
Charlotte hasn’t reached the playoffs in over a decade, but the group believes the 2026-27 season could be the one that finally ends that stretch. For that to happen, Miller’s development has to keep moving fast.
He’ll get his first chance to show where things stand on Oct. 21, when the Hornets open the season on the road against the Brooklyn Nets. For Charlotte, it’s the start of a year built on belief. For Miller, it’s the beginning of the test.
In Other News...
Brandon Miller Just Put Serious Pressure On The Hornets
Brandon Millers emergence has put Charlotte in a familiar but important spot: the Hornets now have a young cornerstone worth paying like one. Miller is eligible for a five-year, $275 million extension, and after a season in which he averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists, the team has every reason to treat this as more than a routine contract decision. With LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges already moved out in the roster overhaul, Miller has moved closer to the center of everything Charlotte wants to build.
The timing matters because the Hornets are expected to open the season with a newly constructed lineup that includes Miller alongside Coby White, Kon Knueppel, Naz Reid and Moussa Diabat. If no deal comes together, Miller will be headed toward restricted free agency next offseason, and that creates a real test for a franchise trying to reset while also locking in its best young piece. For Charlotte, the next step is not just about keeping Miller happy, but about proving the new version of the roster has a clear direction. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Miller Is Giving Hornets Fans A Reason To Believe
Brandon Millers return from a shin contusion gave Hornets fans an early reminder of why he is such an important part of Charlottes future. In the preseason win over Milwaukee, he put up 18 points in 23 minutes and looked like a player settling back in quickly, with the kind of comfort and activity that can carry over once the games start to matter.
Charles Lee liked what he saw from Miller on both ends, particularly the way he stayed involved defensively and offensively. Miller said his confidence is growing with the effort and winning plays he is stringing together, and for a Hornets team looking for reasons to believe, that matters just as much as the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Liam McNeeley Just Gave Hornets Fans A Reason To Believe
Liam McNeeley gave the Hornets something sturdier to build on in a preseason win over the Bucks, and it came in the same areas that had undercut him a game earlier. After opening the exhibition slate with six turnovers against Brooklyn, the rookie settled in against Milwaukee with five assists and no turnovers, while also scoring 11 points in Charlottes 105-90 victory. He also chipped in defensively, which fit into a cleaner team effort overall.
Charles Lee singled out McNeeleys accountability and the way Charlotte handled the ball and moved it around compared with the opener, a sign the Hornets were able to correct one of the rougher early preseason issues. For a young roster still sorting out roles and habits, those kinds of responses matter just as much as the final score, and McNeeleys bounce-back offered a useful early glimpse of what Charlotte wants to see more often. [Read more 🡒]