The Charlotte Hornets have already made their bet on Brandon Miller. Trading LaMelo Ball was a loud signal that the franchise is ready to see whether Miller can become the centerpiece of the next era, and now one Hall of Famer is backing that idea too.
Tracy McGrady believes Miller is set up for a breakout season. Speaking about which players could take the next step into franchise-player territory, McGrady put Miller alongside Scottie Barnes for the 2026-2027 NBA season.
He then explained why he sees Miller’s path opening up now that Ball is gone: "I think Miller can turn the corner. LaMelo is gone, right?
Him having a bigger role this year, he should be a guy that averages 25-26 points, taking that next step."
McGrady didn’t stop there. He made it clear that this season should answer a bigger question about Miller’s future.
"Depending on what I see from him this year is gonna determine, alright, he's gonna be the franchise. Because I think this year should be that year where we say, yeah, that's your franchise guy," he concluded.
That’s the same gamble Charlotte is making. Miller has already shown enough flashes to look like a possible top option, but there’s a difference between looking like the guy and actually carrying that load every night. Now the matchup gets tougher, the attention gets heavier, and he’ll see the opponent’s best defender consistently.
The optimism around Miller isn’t limited to McGrady, either. He’s widely viewed as the favorite for Most Improved Player, which fits the larger picture: a good young scorer being handed a much bigger role and expected to run with it. More usage should mean more numbers, and the Hornets clearly set themselves up for that possibility when they moved on from Ball.
Still, the leap isn’t automatic. Miller has areas that need work, especially finishing around the rim in the half-court, handling elite defenses, and creating for others. Those are the kinds of holes that can slow down a player who’s trying to become a true franchise centerpiece.
He’s had the summer to sharpen those spots after Ball was traded, and now he’ll get training camp and preseason to keep building as Charlotte’s new face. The Hornets are waiting to see whether the promise turns into something bigger.
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Hornets May Finally Have The One Thing This Playoff Drought Needed
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Jeff Petersons offseason decisions underline how much the organization is leaning into that direction after moving on from LaMelo Ball and turning the page on the Ball-Miles Bridges era. The belief inside the front office is that Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel can grow into larger offensive roles, and if that kind of development comes together quickly, Charlotte could finally have the balance and spacing it has been missing since its last playoff berth in 2016. [Read more 🡒]