Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller will be entering his fourth NBA season in 2026, but there will be something different about this one compared to the others. Miller no longer has LaMelo Ball as a teammate, as the Hornets traded the star guard to the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason.
Trading Ball is a decision that has split opinion in Charlotte, and Miller certainly wasn’t happy to see him go. The 23-year-old opened up on the trade during an appearance on the Road Trippin’ Show.
“It’s tough going through trade deadline this time,” Miller said. “Seeing your brothers [from] Day 1 gone, it hurts. But I think we all know the NBA game. And I know he will be great in Minnesota, and what they have going on there. Of course, he still has a lot to learn. I feel like everybody that’s that young has a lot to learn.
“So, just excited to see his growth,” Miller continued. “And that was the main thing I was excited for him last year was just his leadership growth. I feel like the media kind of had him looking crazy a lot of times.”
Co-host Channing Frye wanted to know what Miller was referring to, and it was primarily regarding leadership.
“He was looked at as not a good leader around that time,” Miller said.
Ball, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, has indeed never been viewed as a good leader. After he and Miles Bridges were traded, an NBA analyst claimed the Hornets had gotten rid of the bad influences and were bringing in professionals.
There has always been this notion that Ball doesn’t take basketball seriously, with how careless he can be on the court at times. The 24-year-old gets reckless with the ball and throws up ill-advised shots every now and then. It was seen as a bit of a risky move on the Timberwolves‘ part to acquire him, but Miller is certain his former teammate will shine.
Ball averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game for the Hornets in 2025-26. The one-time All-Star led quite a stunning turnaround, as they finished the season with a 44-38 record despite being 15-27 in mid-January.
The Hornets would fail to make the playoffs after losing 121-90 to the Orlando Magic in their final game in the play-in tournament, but the season was still seen as a positive one. Optimism was growing in Charlotte, but then came the trade.
The Hornets received Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029, and 2030, along with three second-round picks in 2029, 2032, and 2033 from the Timberwolves for Ball. It wasn’t really a great haul.
Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson explained the decision to trade Ball by saying the goal isn’t to make the play-in tournament. Peterson admitted it was a very challenging decision and one he knew wouldn’t go down well with much of the fanbase. He believes, though, that this is a step in the right direction as they hope to contend for a championship one day.
If the Hornets are to accomplish that goal, Miller, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, will have to elevate his game. The forward averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game for the Hornets in 2025-26.
It was a solid season, but with Miller now being one of the faces of the Hornets franchise along with Kon Knuppel, expectations are going to be higher. It will be interesting to see if he meets them.
