Three reasons why Brandon Miller will shine with the Hornets
from Adam Taylor, with YardBarker.com/www.yardbarker.com
On Thursday, the Charlotte Hornets used their second overall draft pick to acquire Brandon Miller. With LaMelo Ball already on the team’s roster, it would appear Mitch Kupchak valued the Crimson Tide product’s positional fit and potential upside. Miller was also seen as a top-three draft selection by most analysts, so his selection at number two should not come as a shock.
With all that being said, here are three reasons why Brandon Miller will shine with the Hornets.
Brandon Miller’s fit with LaMelo Ball
Scoot Henderson was always going to project as a clunky fit next to LaMelo Ball. Brandon Miller will enter Charlotte’s roster as one of their best forwards and will likely dislodge Gordon Hayward from the starting lineup. Miller is a potential three-level scorer at the NBA level and has all the tools to be a tough defender. With LaMelo’s playmaking, Miller will likely evolve into the ideal running mate for Charlotte’s star guard.
Furthermore, Miller’s ability to hit catch-and-shoot threes will enable him to play in a rotation with multiple ball-handlers. Terry Rozier is also on Charlotte’s roster and will command a significant usage rate. Miles Bridges is also expected to return this season and will require a significant amount of touches. Miller’s versatility projects him to be a seemingly fit within the rotation as a whole.
Wings are valuable in the modern NBA.
Despite Scoot Henderson being seen as the more talented prospect, teams will seldom pass on an elite wing prospect for an elite guard prospect. The modern NBA has become a place where point forwards initiate the offense and call out offensive sets. Guards have become more of a secondary playmaking weapon, with off-the-dribble scoring a primary part of their remit.
Miller was a core part of Alabama’s offense and often ran pick-and-roll actions as the ball-handler. As such, the Hornets will likely envision Miller evolving into a point forward with secondary or tertiary playmaking skills in the coming years. A wing who can score across the board, defend at a high level, and dictate the offense will ensure Charlotte has a significant asset on their roster for years to come.
Keeping LaMelo Ball happy
LaMelo Ball is entering the final year of his rookie-scale contract. LaMelo has missed out on the playoffs every season since entering the league. The Hornets need to prove to their young star that they’re committed to building a roster around him. Drafting Henderson would have sent the wrong message. Instead, the Hornets can now argue that Miller will be LaMelo’s second star of the future and that the two of them can develop together.
More roster moves will need to be made over the summer, though. As drafting one high-level prospect for his fit within the rotation won’t be enough to convince LaMelo that he can achieve his lofty targets with the Hornets’ franchise. Nevertheless, Kupchak made a smart decision on draft night, and that’s a step in the right direction.