Brandon Miller looks like the next young star in line for a massive payday, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reporting that the Hornets are working toward a five-year extension projected at more than $200 million.
“Another contract you may see is Brandon Miller from the Charlotte Hornets,” said Brian Windhorst. “With Charlotte clearing out Miles Bridges and clearing out LaMelo Ball, they have put themselves in a position where they have a lot of flexibility, and I think that getting Miller into a deal is a priority.
I think they’ve had substantial talks on that. If I were Brandon Miller, if it’s a five-year deal, I think you’re looking for that first number to be a two.”
That kind of number would put Miller in the same neighborhood as Rockets guard Amen Thompson, who recently signed for over $208 million. Nothing is official yet, but the expectation is that Charlotte wants to lock him in, and the sides already appear to be aligned on the basic value of the deal.
The Hornets’ direction has changed quickly. The team has moved away from the LaMelo/Bridges era and toward a Miller/Knueppel pairing, even if the transition hasn’t been smooth. Kon Knueppel is still a rising sophomore and not yet eligible for an extension, but Miller is, and Charlotte sees him as a foundational piece it wants to keep around.
Miller, drafted second overall in 2023, has already given the Hornets enough to believe in. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and showed early on that he could fit alongside LaMelo by spacing the floor and creating shots when needed. Last season, he averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 0.7 blocks while shooting 43.5% from the field.
He has not made an All-Star team yet, but Charlotte clearly views him as one of its pillars. Compared with Thompson, Miller may actually be the more important player to his team right now, and that makes his deal a priority for the Hornets.
If the extension doesn’t get done before the season, it still sounds like something both sides expect to revisit during the year, unless something changes late in the process.
At 23, Miller still has plenty to prove, especially if Charlotte is going to ask him to be the first option on a competitive team. He did fine with LaMelo on the floor last season, but that safety net won’t be there now. For the first time in his career, Miller is stepping into the spotlight as the center of the Hornets’ plan.
That comes with the usual upside, and the usual pressure. A contract this large raises the bar immediately, and if Miller is going to be paid like one of the best at his position, Charlotte will expect him to start looking the part.
In Other News...
Hornets Make Another Roster Move With Greensboro In Mind
The Hornets continued to reshape their offseason group by bringing in forward Tre Carroll while moving on from guard DJ Armstrong to open a spot on the 21-man roster. Carroll, an undrafted June prospect who played at Florida Atlantic and Xavier, also spent time with Washingtons Summer League team, giving Charlotte another look at a player still trying to carve out his NBA path.
For the Hornets, the move fits the familiar pattern of using the back end of the roster to keep options open, especially with the Greensboro Swarm in mind. Carrolls contract is expected to carry Exhibit 10 language, which would make him a candidate to land with Charlottes G League affiliate if he doesnt stick in camp, and that keeps one more developmental piece in the organization as the summer shuffle continues. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Just Made A Veteran Move That Feels Bigger Than Now
The Hornets kept their summer moving with a trade that looks modest on the surface but still tells you something about how theyre trying to shape the roster. Charlotte brought in Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard from Atlanta in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith, adding a veteran shooter to a group that could use more spacing and a player whose contract could matter again down the line.
Hield gives Charlotte a proven perimeter threat and a bit of roster flexibility, since he still has two years left on his deal and a player option after the 2026-27 season. Nembhard is more of a back-end piece in the transaction, but the bigger point is that the Hornets were willing to turn a more straightforward veteran swap into something with at least a little future value, even if it doesnt dramatically alter the outlook right now. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Just Turned One Veteran Into A Much Bigger Roster Debate
The Hornets have been active in reshaping the back end of the roster, and the latest move with Atlanta fits the kind of flexible, low-risk approach they have been leaning into. Charlotte is bringing in a young point guard in Ryan Nembhard and a proven perimeter shooter in Buddy Hield, while sending veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith the other way after his return from ankle surgery and with his contract still carrying some uncertainty.
For Charlotte, the deal adds another layer to the debate about how much roster space and salary commitment should be tied up in veterans versus younger, more movable pieces. Hield gives the Hornets another floor-spacing option, and Nembhard gives them a developmental guard to evaluate, but the move also leaves open bigger questions about what the front office wants this group to look like by the time the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]