The Charlotte Hornets have made their direction plain, and Brandon Miller sits right at the center of it.
After the summer trade involving LaMelo Ball, the organization shifted its focus toward Miller and Kon Knueppel as the two names to build around. The move also brought back future draft capital, giving Charlotte a longer runway to shape what comes next. The Hornets are expected to extend Miller’s contract before the upcoming season, another sign that he’s no longer just part of the plan - he is the plan.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon framed the decision as a bet on what the Hornets could become down the line, not what they could squeeze out of the present. Speaking on The Hoop Collective, he said, “They assessed what they had last year, and it was an extremely exciting last few months of the regular season.
We're talking about Buzz City Killers and all that. But they decided, hey, we don't believe in this team as a team that can do any kind of real damage,” MacMahon said.
“Actions says we don't believe in LaMelo Ball as a franchise centerpiece. They got his value up to the point where they can get a first-round pick in return, and they pulled the trigger.
“They didn't do that thinking it was going to make them better this season. They did that thinking that it would allow them to build a team that they did believe could do some real damage in the playoffs.
But that's not this year. It's probably not next year.”
MacMahon also pointed to the accumulation of assets Charlotte now has in hand. “They're loaded with picks,” MacMahon added.
“They've got the Mavericks' [pick] unless it's top 2. They've got their own moving forward.
They've got the Heat's lottery-protected this year. And the moves they made this summer: they got off of LaMelo Ball, they got a 2033 pick from Minnesota, which who knows, that's got potential upside though, and they got off Miles Bridges.
They got a 2033 from Phoenix, which I've had people from other front offices tell me, “damn, I wish we had got to that pick.”
“Suns' future picks are considered to be high-upside picks. So, they really have a significant haul of draft capital to work with. But it's going to be a patient build around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.”
Brian Windhorst echoed that view, saying the Hornets may be sacrificing immediate momentum to reshape the roster around Miller. “It seems like they are maybe taking a step sideways to retrofit their roster,” Windhorst said.
“They want to invest in Brandon Miller. They're going to try to get him into a contract by Monday, an extension.
Obviously, they think a lot of Kon [Kuneppel]. I don't think they're going to win 44 games again.”
Charlotte is coming off a 116-98 win over the Memphis Grizzlies and will open preseason against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.
In Other News...
Hornets Opening Night Backcourt Plan Is Still Very Unclear
Charles Lee said the Hornets are getting closer to seeing some movement in the backcourt, with guards Kon Knueppel and Coby White both making progress in their recoveries. Each has begun adding contact work in practice, a meaningful step after Knueppel went down with a left hamstring injury during offseason activity and White suffered a left calf strain in training camp.
Even so, Charlotte still does not have a clear answer on either player for the regular-season opener. Both guards sat out the preseason, and with no set timeline in place yet, the Hornets are left sorting through the possibility of opening the year without two pieces they had hoped to have available. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets End Preseason With The Same Problem Fans Feared
The Hornets wrapped up preseason with a 116-98 loss to the Grizzlies, ending exhibition play at 1-3 and leaving the same uneasy feeling that has followed them through much of the month. Charlotte had stretches where the young roster showed flashes, but the overall picture was still messy, with pace issues and lineup combinations that never quite settled into a rhythm.
Even in a game that offered chances for reserves to make noise, the turnover problem kept dragging the night down and limited any chance of building momentum. There were positives off the bench from rookies Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr., which gives Charlotte something to note as it turns from preseason into the real thing, but the broader question remains how quickly this group can clean up the sloppiness before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]