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With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets selected Brandon Miller, a freshman forward from Alabama. Miller probably wasn’t the second-best prospect of this draft, but he was the best fit for the Hornets in the second slot. Now, as Miller approaches his rookie season, here are three bold Brandon Miller predictions.
Miller had a great freshman season for the Crimson Tide on the court. However, he brought a gun to a teammate that ended up being used in a murder. The incident marred his season, and although he was investigated, no charges came.
In the pre-draft process, the conversation around Miller switched back to basketball, and NBA scouts fell in love with the 6-foot-9 forward's smooth game and excellent shooting touch. Miller can be a facilitator, scorer, and an excellent defender in the NBA, and the Hornets made a shrewd move picking him at No. 2.
Now, with Miller heading to Charlotte, it’s time for some bold Brandon Miller predictions.
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3. The Hornets' offense will improve dramatically
In case you didn’t see it happen on ESPN, Jay Bilas used the word “shooting” to describe Brandon Miller’s game about 37 times. Miller scored 18.8 points per game as a freshman at Alabama and shot 38.4% from 3-point range on 7.5 attempts per game.
The player can shoot as an athletic 6-foot-9 forward, and that’s something that will absolutely translate to the NBA.
Last season, the Hornets had the third-worst offense in the league. Part of that was LaMelo Ball playing just 36 games, and part of it was Miles Bridges not playing at all after an ugly domestic violence incident.
Getting those two back in full in 2023-24 will help the Hornets' offense a lot, but the Miller pick will help pull it all together. In addition to his shooting (drink!), he can score off the dribble and run pick-and-roll with big men. His passing is next-level as well.
The Ball, Bridges, and Miller combo is going to be high-flying, exciting to watch, and feature ball movement galore. The team should go from the bottom of the league in offense to somewhere at least in the middle if not into the top third.
2. The Hornets' defense will still be rough
Here’s the thing. Brandon Miller, the Hornets' No. 2 pick, has the athleticism, size, and switchability to make him an excellent defender one day. That day likely won’t come in his rookie season. Miller isn’t strong enough yet to bang with the big boys, and he doesn’t have the teammates on the Hornets to help him develop quickly.
Last season, the Hornets allowed the ninth-most points per game in the NBA, and Miller won’t change that all that much in his rookie season.
This Brandon Miller Hornets pick is a long-term move designed to give LaMelo Ball a teammate with the elite skills that complement the franchise player. Eventually, Ball and Miller, and Bridges will create a tough defense to go against where the three of them can guard multiple positions and switch everything. It’s exciting to think about.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. The Hornets aren’t going to shut down teams next season, so they will have to outscore them. With Miller’s offense (as mentioned above), they should be able to do that on most nights.
And if that is the case, it leads to the final bold Brandon Miller prediction.
1. Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball will make the playoffs next season
LaMelo Ball needs to stay healthy for a full season, but other than that, he has proven he can be a franchise player. What he needs is athletic wings around him who can match his skills and finish when he sets them up.
Ball got that when the Hornets took Miller in the 2023 NBA Draft.
These two have complementary games that will make Charlotte a must-watch team on League Pass. The defense will come, but the offense should be excellent out of the gate. In 2021-22, with Miles Bridges, the Hornets finished 33-39 and made the play-in tournament.
Last year was a wash for the team, and 2023-24 is a hard reset with everyone getting a fresh start. This core is now dynamic and exciting, and in an Eastern Conference that is more top-heavy than anything else, the Hornets should be a play-in team for sure.
And if Miller has a standout rookie year, like we predict he will, the Hornets can get in from that tournament and maybe even sneak in as a top-six seed. It might take some time before they are a true contender but as far as a playoff team, they're there now.
