The Hornets have made their move, and now Brandon Miller is the one carrying the weight of what comes next.
Charlotte traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer, a decision that reset the roster and shifted the spotlight onto the rest of the core. On paper, Kon Knueppel might look like the easy answer for the biggest pressure point after an eye-opening rookie year.
But Miller is right there with him, and maybe even more exposed. He’s expected to be one of the team’s offensive anchors, and he’s doing it with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.
That creates a lot of pressure in a hurry. Miller and the Hornets still haven’t agreed to a new extension, yet Charlotte is going to lean on him as one of its best players next season. That’s a big ask for any player, and it lands squarely on a guy the team took second overall just a few years ago.
The Hornets are trying to build on what happened last season, when they emerged as one of the league’s biggest surprises. Their second-half surge made them look like a real postseason threat for much of the stretch run, even though they ultimately fell short of the playoffs.
Ball was a major reason for that run. His creation and playmaking were central to what Charlotte was doing before the front office chose to sell high and move him.
Now the roster turns to a different group: Miller, Knueppel, Naz Reid, Coby White, Moussa Diabate, and the rest of the supporting cast. That’s the collection of players expected to make the Ball trade look like the right call.
But Miller is the name at the front of the line. He’s a gifted scorer who can get buckets with the ball in his hands, and there’s still a sense that more is there waiting to come out. If that next level shows up, Charlotte not only gives itself a better shot to justify the trade, but also puts Miller in line for a major payday.
For now, though, the assignment is clear. Ball is gone, the offense needs a new voice, and the Hornets need Miller to grow into a true star.
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 🡒]