Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets have already started talking about a rookie-scale extension, and the team sounds eager to keep the young forward around for the long haul.
Hornets president of basketball operations and general manager Jeff Peterson said the conversations have begun with Miller and his camp. “I've had conversations with Brandon and his representation,” Peterson said. “They know that we want Brandon here for a very, very long time.”
Miller is eligible to sign that extension before next season. If the two sides do not come to terms, he would become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2027.
The 2023 No. 2 overall pick out of Alabama put together a strong season for Charlotte, appearing in 65 games and averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He also shot 43.5% from the field, 38.3% from 3-point range and 89.2% at the free-throw line.
Charlotte finished 44-38 in 2025-26. Miller and the Hornets beat the Miami Heat in the 9-10 play-in game at home before falling to the Orlando Magic in the 8-9 play-in game on the road.
Next season, Miller is set to make $15,104,626.
Peterson also said Miller is on track after undergoing surgery in early May to address left shoulder instability. “I've been very, very pleased with the way he's attacking his rehab,” Peterson said.
“He's in the gym constantly. He knows he has to continue to work on his body and get stronger and he's taken that to heart.”
Charlotte also added two more young players in this year’s draft, taking Hannes Steinbach from Washington with the 14th overall pick and Texas Tech's Christian Anderson Jr. with the 18th overall pick.
The Hornets are expected to start Coby White, Miller, Kon Knueppel, Naz Reid and Moussa Diabaté next season. Charlotte also traded LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns this offseason.
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The first few days of Las Vegas Summer League are usually about sorting out the obvious, but Charlottes latest loss also nudged an unexpected side story into view. With rookie and undrafted players getting their first real pro minutes since the event opened July 9, the Hornets were part of the backdrop for a night that reminded everyone how quickly a summer showcase can turn into a reminder of who is getting back on the floor and who is still trying to establish a foothold.
Among the players drawing attention was Moore, whose path back to this stage has made his appearances worth watching even in a setting built for experimentation. The box scores have already offered the usual mix of scoring bursts, playmaking and defensive flashes from the 2026 rookie class, but Charlottes angle is bigger than one result, because the Hornets are now watching a summer league board that keeps adding new names and new questions every time the ball goes up. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Move On From Miles Bridges And The Return Changes Everything
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Bridges was heading into the final year of his contract and would have been extension-eligible this offseason, so this move also clears an important decision point for the Hornets. The trade still has to be finalized after the moratorium ends on July 6, but the bigger question now is how Charlotte uses the incoming pieces and the added pick to keep building without one of its most productive frontcourt scorers. [Read more 🡒]
Charles Lee Finally Addressed The Hornets Move Fans Still Can't Believe
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Lee also took time to acknowledge what Ball meant to the organization, noting the foundation the former star helped establish in Charlotte. Even with that appreciation, the message was clear enough: the Hornets believe the changes are meant to push the group forward, and the next version of the roster will be judged by how quickly those expanded roles start to fit together. [Read more 🡒]