This summer, Brandon Miller can sign a rookie-scale contract extension. While the Charlotte Hornets probably want to keep the star in the long run, the concern is whether the two parties will see eye to eye on what deal he deserves. Things might get complicated if some of his draft classmates ink max deals.
The salary cap for next season is projected to land at over $170 million, and with Miller eligible to sign for at most 25 percent of the cap, he could end up receiving a base salary of around $42 million in the first year when the extension kicks in. And since his pay can increase by eight percent each year, the best the Hornets can offer him is a five-year, $252 million contract. Again, that depends on how much the salary cap would be.
Is he worth that much? Of the 2023 draft class, perhaps only Victor Wembanyama is the unanimous max player. But if someone like the No. 4 pick, Amen Thompson, also gets the max, it brings up the question of whether Miller deserves the same treatment.
Assessing Brandon Miller’s value
In an ideal world, the Hornets can just gift the 23-year-old swingman a max contract on a silver platter.
He is key to their plans of becoming a perennial playoff contender, primarily because of his uncanny ability to get buckets from just about anywhere on the floor. Of course, his contribution goes beyond scoring, as he has also shown the potential to be a two-way all-around player. His leadership qualities have also surfaced from time to time.
However, a major conundrum for the Hornets is that paying Miller that amount could limit their financial flexibility to build a contending roster around him, LaMelo Ball, and Kon Knueppel. Those two players could also be max players, although Knueppel’s rookie-scale extension won’t hit until the 2029-30 season.
In addition, the franchise also has a Coby White contract extension to address this offseason, and Moussa Diabate, who is set to become a free agent in the summer of 2027, could command a hefty deal once he enters the market. Miles Bridges’s contract will also only run until the end of the 2026-27 campaign. Keep in mind that Charlotte could also bring in two first-round draft picks (if it doesn’t trade any of them) this offseason.
Perhaps the best-case scenario for the Hornets is Miller signing a five-year extension with a first-year salary below $30 million and proving himself worthy of the max the next time he is eligible for another extension. That could give the squad a bigger window to continue competing.