Here's Who The Charlotte Hornets Need To Treat As Their Franchise Player
The Charlotte Hornets are coming off a 21-61 season, but Brandon Miller proved he's a promising young star in the NBA. Miller showed the NBA world that he was well worth being selected number two overall in the 2023 NBA Draft as he put together an excellent rookie campaign. The Hornets have many uncertainties that need to be addressed, but one player could be the answer for the Hornets regarding their future.
Brandon Miller: Rookie Sensation
Miller recorded great numbers for a rookie, appearing in 74 games for the Hornets. He averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 44.0% from the field, 37.3% from three on 6.7 attempts, and 82.7% from the free throw line.
Looking back at the 2023 NBA Draft, it was clear that many fans were displeased with the Charlotte Hornets selecting Brandon Miller second overall instead of G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson. Despite the upset fans, Miller seems to have grown on those who disagreed with the pick, as he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren.
The LaMelo Ball Problem
Before Miller was drafted, it was evident that LaMelo Ball was the franchise player of the Charlotte Hornets, but his play style and inability to be healthy for an entire season is a problem. Ball just finished his fourth year and averages 46 games played per season. He has only been fully healthy in one season, which is not good. Ball has his strengths and weaknesses, of course. Over his four NBA seasons, he has averaged 20.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game in 184 total games.
LaMelo is a talented offensive player, but he doesn't play winning basketball, starting with the poor defense he's shown on the court. Not only that, but his shot selection is questionable. Ball often takes terrible shots, resulting in wasted possessions.
Combining his injury history with his glaring flaws, it's clear that LaMelo Ball cannot be the Charlotte Hornets' number-one option going forward. They may need to explore a Ball trade soon to effectively build around Miller for the future.
It's Miller Time
Miller's scoring ability is the main thing that jumps off the page. He is a natural scorer on all three levels of the floor, scoring effectively with the ball in his hands or when moving off the ball. He is an explosive athlete with a smooth stroke, making him extremely hard to guard at such a young age.
He needs to work on his passing, but he showed nice flashes throughout the year and didn't have much help this year. Miller is also a willing defender with clear potential to become one of the best two-way players in the entire NBA for years to come.
Miller also has a great mentality for basketball. He truly cares about winning. He showed emotion on the floor, and it seemed like he was one of the only players on the Hornets who cared about winning and the outcome of the game. Despite their record, he always brought emotion and energy.
Miller has drawn comparisons to future Hall of Famer Paul George, and this is an excellent comparison given Miller's two-way ability. Brandon has also gone on record saying Paul George is his favorite player in NBA history and that he models his game after him.
The Charlotte Hornets need to decide that it's time to move on from LaMelo Ball and treat Brandon Miller as their franchise player from now on. It's not worth it to sit around and hope Ball will be healthy for the future when Miller has already proved himself as one of the most promising young two-way stars in the NBA.
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