Brandon Miller is stepping into a bigger spotlight in Charlotte, and the latest prediction around him is a loud one: an All-NBA kind of season could be on the table.
That’s the kind of projection that can reshape how a team looks at its future, and for the Hornets, it comes at a time when the roster is changing fast. LaMelo Ball is gone after being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Charlotte is now leaning into a young core built around Miller and Kon Knueppel.
Miller already gave the Hornets plenty to build on in 2025-26. He appeared in 65 games and put up 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per night while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three. Knueppel was strong in his rookie season too, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while hitting 47.5 percent of his shots and 42.5 percent from deep.
Still, the buzz now centers on what Miller might do next. Sports Illustrated’s Zach Roberts predicted that the Hornets wing could make a real leap in 2026-27, with averages around 25 points and six rebounds looking reasonable.
"The Hornets clearly have an immense amount of belief in Brandon Miller. And unless things change, he's not getting an extension this summer, making the upcoming season a contract year. Those two things could mean a huge leap is coming," Roberts wrote.
"And if Miller does make that leap, it will be hard to keep him off an All-NBA team. He averaged over 20 as the second option with a shoulder wrap all year long. If he can improve his finishing and take advantage of being the first option, a 25-point, 6-rebound sort of season is definitely in the cards."
Miller is 23 and heading into his fourth year, which puts him right in the window where Charlotte has been waiting for him to turn talent into takeover. With Ball out of the picture, the responsibility shifts squarely onto Miller’s shoulders.
If he hits that level, the Hornets’ outlook changes with him. Charlotte would have a legitimate case to be a playoff team, and Miller would be the face of it all.
In Other News...
Liam McNeeley Just Entered A Hornets Battle Fans Are Watching
Liam McNeeley got a much bigger runway in the 2026 Summer League, a notable shift after a rookie season in Charlotte that offered only limited NBA minutes. For a Hornets team that spent the offseason reshaping its backcourt, the timing mattered. Trading LaMelo Ball and bringing in Coby White opened up real opportunity, and McNeeleys extended look came with the sort of stakes young players can feel even in July.
What makes this worth watching from Charlottes side is how quickly a summer performance can change the conversation around a roster spot. McNeeleys showing has at least put him in the mix for backup guard minutes behind White and Kon Knueppel, and the Hornets now have to sort out whether that Summer League role was just a temporary boost or the start of something more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Suddenly Have A Real Backcourt Battle Behind Coby White
Charlottes guard picture looks a lot different heading into the 2026-27 season, with Coby White set to take over as the starting point guard and give the Hornets a steadier presence in the backcourt. White arrives with a new contract and a clear path to the lead role, which leaves the team sorting out how the minutes behind him will be handled as the roster settles into its next phase.
Sion James is in the mix for that backup job, but he is not alone. Rookie Christian Anderson and second-year guard Liam McNeeley are also pushing for the same spot, turning what might have looked like a simple depth chart into a legitimate competition. For Charlotte, the question is no longer just who backs up White, but who can earn trust early enough to matter when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Roster Crunch Just Put Several Familiar Names On Edge
The Hornets have 18 players on their offseason roster, which means the front office still has some trimming to do before opening night. The current group already gives a clear picture of where Charlotte stands, with the presumed starters and rookies forming the core and several other familiar names sitting in the middle of the roster picture as the team sorts out who fits, who sticks and who becomes movable.
A few of those decisions will come down to need as much as talent, especially with the roster already crowded and the season approaching fast. Some players look safer than others, but Charlotte is still weighing depth, versatility and future flexibility against the reality that not everyone can make the final cut, and the next move or two could say plenty about how the Hornets want this group to look when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]