Brandon Miller’s numbers may look like the work of a primary option, but the Charlotte Hornets are learning the hard way that volume alone doesn’t make someone ready to run an offense.
In Charlotte’s 124-91 loss to the Detroit Pistons, Miller again showed the gap between raw scoring ability and real offensive command. He finished with 17 points in 31 minutes, a line that can look respectable until you dig into the shot selection. Miller went 7-for-18 from the field and 3-for-11 from deep, and instead of shifting into a more controlled approach when the shots stopped falling, he kept pressing.
That has been the pattern this season. Miller has the green light and the responsibility that comes with it, but the results have been uneven.
He did post a career-high 39 points against the Washington Wizards, and his scoring average of 23.5 points per game is impressive on its face. The catch is that he’s doing it on 37.8 percent shooting from the floor and 28.6 percent from three, both career lows.
For a player stepping into the role vacated by his erratic former teammate, LaMelo Ball, that’s a lot to carry. Ball had his own problems, but when he was rolling, he could be impossible to stop. Miller has the talent to become that kind of centerpiece, but right now he’s showing the wrong side of that responsibility.
The Hornets have veterans around him, including Naz Reid and Grayson Allen, yet Miller still forced shots that stalled whatever rhythm Charlotte managed to build. That’s where the immaturity shows up.
A true offensive leader knows when to score, when to slow down, and when to create for others. Miller is still figuring that part out.
Head coach Charles Lee clearly trusts him, but the burden appears to be affecting his judgment. The answer for Charlotte may be to ease some of that pressure, let Miller settle back into a more balanced role, and then put him back at the front when he’s ready to handle it.
Right now, the talent is obvious. The control isn’t there yet.
In Other News...
Hornets Offense Desperately Needs Kon Knueppel Back This Week
Charlottes offense has spent the opening stretch of the season searching for a spark, and the Hornets are still waiting for Kon Knueppel to provide the one they were counting on. After a rookie year that saw him set multiple NBA records, including the most 3-pointers made in a season and a string of 20-point games on efficient shooting, Knueppel looked like the kind of perimeter threat who could change the shape of this lineup almost immediately.
Instead, the Hornets have had to play without him while dealing with the leagues worst offense, a glaring problem that has only sharpened the anticipation around his return. The good news for Charlotte is that the wait may not be much longer, and with a pair of games on deck, the team is hoping Knueppel can give a sputtering attack the shot-making and spacing it has been missing. [Read more 🡒]
Coby White Is Back But Charlottes Offense Still Looks Like The Real Story
Coby White is back in the Charlotte Hornets starting lineup after working his way back from a left calf strain, and his return gives the team a better chance to see what its projected first unit can actually look like. He logged 15 minutes against the Detroit Pistons as Charlotte eased him back in, a sensible approach for a player coming off an injury while the Hornets try to settle into something closer to their intended rotation.
Dennis Schrder shifted to a reserve role with White back, which is another sign the Hornets are inching toward a more complete look. Even so, the bigger question remains whether the offense can clean itself up enough to take advantage of that stability, because the teams issues with scoring and turnovers have been hard to ignore while the roster has been in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Could Get A Key Offensive Piece Back At The Perfect Time
Kon Knueppels absence has lingered long enough to become part of the Hornets nightly equation, with the wing missing eight straight games because of a left hamstring strain. Charlotte has had to keep moving without one of its more promising offensive pieces, even as the calendar starts to make every healthy body matter a little more.
Head coach Charles Lee has made it clear the wait may not be much longer, though he stopped short of putting a date on Knueppels return. The Hornets also locked in his salary for next season by exercising his contract option for 2027-28, a small but meaningful sign of how much the organization values his place in the rotation once hes back on the floor. [Read more 🡒]