On Friday, the Charlotte Hornets announced that 2023 No. 2 pick Brandon Miller will “miss the remainder of the season” after undergoing wrist surgery. This news comes less than a week after he was said to have “a torn scapholunate ligament.” Miller, 22, is considered the second-best player on the Hornets’ roster.
In fact, he played so well during his rookie year, many wondered if he would usurp LaMelo Ball as the face of the franchise.
What Hornets’ Brandon Miller’s Season Revealed Prior To Surgery
The Tennessee native’s second season didn’t go as smoothly as his 2023-24 campaign. On the one hand, he was averaging career-highs in points (21.0), rebounds (4.9), assists (3.6), steals (1.1), and blocks (0.7). On the other hand, he was posting career-low percentages on field goals (.403) and three-pointers (.355).
Under head coach Charles Lee, his shot profile has changed to a more analytics-based diet. More to the point, he took midrange jumpers less frequently in favor of threes. The only problem is that Miller’s jumper was solid inside the arc. Last season, he made 42.6 percent of his shots 10-16 feet away from the rim. He converted 49.4 percent of his jumpers from 16+ feet away to the three-point line, also known as long twos.
This leads back to a question that’s been asked throughout the season. Has there been an over-correction in terms of shot profiles? After all, a 2024 Syracuse study revealed that two-pointers are now more efficient than three-pointers.
With the Hornets ranked fourth in average three-point attempts (41.3) but 28th in offensive rating (108.8), perhaps they need to adjust their scheme.
Best Options In 2025 NBA Draft
Miller’s injury is a devastating blow for the Hornets, even if they didn’t have much hope of meeting the playoffs.
Yet, there’s a silver lining in Charlotte. Because Miller will be difficult to replace, they could have a better chance of landing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. To many, this is the chance to draft Duke forward Cooper Flagg, who many consider to be the best player in his class. A do-it-all forward with scoring upside, he’s likely to be a game-changer at the NBA level, but he’ll be an x-factor at worst.
Because his skillset allows him to fit within many configurations, Flagg’s a player that the Hornets could utilize as well. However, it’s worth noting that he’s shooting 34.8 percent from deep. With that being said, there are other prospects that might fit them a bit more.
Rutgers forward Ace Bailey can score from anywhere on the floor and is shooting 39.3 percent from long-distance. His upside as a defender and rebounder are also notable. Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis relies heavily on getting to the free-throw line but he’s a savvy playmaker converting 38.6 percent of his threes. Then there’s Texas guard Tre Johnson, potentially a star-level scorer, who’s shooting 38.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Like Flagg, all three prospects are true freshmen. They’re all considered to be consensus top-five prospects. Lastly, they can all either be slotted in at either wing spot, allowing them to play off of Ball and Miller.
