On July 3, the Charlotte Hornets fell to defeat in the opening game of their Summer League schedule. Despite the loss, NBA fans finally got their first look at second-overall draft pick Brandon Miller in an NBA jersey, as the Hornets featured him within their offense time and time again.
Unfortunately, the occasion appeared to get to Miller, as he struggled when taking care of the rock and was a little overzealous on the defensive side of the ball – ending the contest with 6 turnovers and 7 fouls.
When speaking to the media following the game, Hornets assistant coach Marlon Garnett, who is operating as Charlotte’s Summer League head coach, discussed what he saw from Miller before pinpointing some areas of improvement for the Alabama product.
"“That’s hard to say, to give him a grade,” Garnett said, as transcribed by Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “I’m going to save that one after I watch the film and see what it looks like…One of the things is, his pace can be positive, but sometimes I want to see that motor come out of him a little bit,” Garnett said, “(be) a little bit more aggressive. And that’s on me. I can put him in a little bit more situations where he’s not just dribbling the ball, using pick-and-rolls, but get him in some action where he’s passing and following. So, he’s setting screens and slipping out, and get him on the move a little bit. So, that’s on me.”"
Brandon Miller will undoubtedly improve throughout the duration of Summer League as he becomes more accustomed to the pace and physicality of the game at this level. As we begin to see flashes of Miller’s improvements, it will be worth keeping an eye on how he takes care of the ball and where he’s picking his spots – as both will be signs of an improved IQ and aggression.