Heading into the 2023-24 regular season, the excitement around the Charlotte Hornets was palpable. With a healthy team and a promising young player who was a sleeping candidate for the 2024 Rookie of the Year award, the team appeared poised to improve its performance in the 2022-23 campaign.
However, injuries and a lack of depth have doomed Charlotte. If not for the poor showings of the Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons, the franchise would have finished last in the Eastern Conference for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
The good news for the Hornets is that Brandon Miller validated management’s decision to draft him ahead of other prospects, such as Scott Henderson and the Thompson twins.
Amid the Hornets’ struggles in the standings and with continuity of the listMiller was a bright spot for the Hive.
The University of Alabama product averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 three-pointers per game. He also showed the ability to become a precision shooter from downtown with his 37.3 percent three-point shooting percentage and 82.7 percent free throw shooting percentage.
It’s safe to say that Miller can be a more effective player for the Hornets if he can improve his catch-and-shoot efficiency.
There are high hopes that LaMelo Ball can finally overcome his health problemswhich would give the team a needed elite playmaker and could mean fewer shot-creating opportunities for the 21-year-old winger.
In 74 appearances during the 2023-24 campaign, Miller attempted 5.1 three-pointers per game. He made 38.3 percent of those shots. That’s not bad, considering the budding star was even better from that distance than Klay Thompson. His three-point shooting percentage (57.3 percent), however, was a bit below average and showed he still has some work to do.
If the Tennessee native can be more efficient with those shots while also being a potent scorer when the ball is in his hands, Charlotte’s offense will likely see a major boost.
Miller already proved last season that he’s one of the league’s brightest prospects, earning enough votes to become a finalist for the top rookie award. He finished third behind 2023 No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama and redshirt rookie Chet Holmgren.
But plenty of eyes will be on him as he navigates a dreaded second year in the league. It remains to be seen whether Miller will experience a downturn or a leap forward. If he works on his off-ball prowess, there’s a good chance he’ll experience the latter.
