The Charlotte Hornets' future hinges on Brandon Miller continuing to develop into the star he is destined to be. However, he can only take his game to the next level if his health holds up. And the fact that his recent major injury affected his shooting wrist can be a cause for concern.
Richie Randall of the Buzz Beat podcast appeared recently on The Athletic NBA Daily show, where he mentioned Miller as Charlotte's most valuable youngster at the moment because of his ability to space the floor.
He shared a sentiment, though, that some Hornets fans may be worried about the 22-year-old swingman. Randall pointed out that Miller's surgery to address the torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist took place in January. However, in an interview with the Charlotte Observer over a month ago, he said that his wrist was still at 90 to 95 percent.
Naturally, a torn ligament can take a really long time to recover from. However, the fact that the Hornets' training camp is about to start and Miller has yet to be 100 percent healthy could affect his preparation for the 2025-26 season. Hopefully, it wouldn't, but Charlotte's approach to this campaign might see it take things slow with its rising star. That would be fine, although fans might have to brace for at least one more year of losing.
Brandon Miller's value to Hornets is clear
While the Hive is likely hoping for the 2023 second-round pick to eventually turn into a two-way force and a reliable locker room leader, his main strength for now is his ability to get buckets, primarily from the perimeter.
Considering that Hornets coach Charles Lee's offensive philosophy is predicated on making it rain from 3-point land, Miller stands to continue being a focal point of their offense. If his injury turns out to be detrimental to his ability to shoot from the perimeter, their chances of showing marked improvement in scoring, an area they placed last in the league last season, might be slim.
So far, there has been no report about Miller sustaining a setback in his recovery. His confidence in arguably his greatest strength should inspire optimism among fans. Still, until we are provided evidence that his 3-point shooting prowess has been unaffected by his ailment, it's tough not to be anxious about the budding face of the franchise's comeback trail. The upcoming training camp should clear up how his progress has been.