When a national voice like Kevin O’Connor speaks frankly about your team, fans tend to listen — and flinch a little. During a recent Yahoo! Sports segment titled “Underrated League Pass Teams You Can’t Afford to Miss in 2025-26,” O’Connor, joined by Kenny Beecham, gave a clear-eyed assessment of the Charlotte Hornets’ ongoing rebuild. His takeaway was simple but cutting: Brandon Miller can play with anybody — but right now, the rest of the roster can’t keep up.
That’s the “quiet part,” said out loud — the truth most Hornets fans already feel in their gut. Charlotte’s rebuild is crawling, not sprinting, and the supporting talent around its prized young wing remains far from playoff caliber.
A rebuild that keeps resetting
Charlotte has been rebuilding in some form for most of the past decade, but the timeline truly restarted when LaMelo Ball arrived, and again when Brandon Miller became the new face of the franchise. There’s youth, sure — Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Ryan Kalkbrenner headline a new wave of prospects — but there’s also a lack of cohesion.
Veteran stopgaps like Grant Williams, Collin Sexton, and Mason Plumlee bring structure, yet not the kind of talent that raises a team’s ceiling. The Hornets’ roster looks like a developmental lab more than a competitive ecosystem. The pieces are interesting. The fit isn’t there yet.
KOC’s take: Miller can play with anyone
O’Connor’s praise for Miller was unequivocal. “He’s one of those wings who can play with anybody,” O’Connor said. “He spaces the floor, makes the right reads, defends, doesn’t need to dominate the ball. Those guys are gold in the modern NBA.”
It’s the kind of validation that should encourage Charlotte fans. Miller’s rookie season showed flashes of two-way versatility — a smooth jumper, smart cutting, and a willingness to defend multiple positions. He profiles as a foundational piece, not just a stats-chaser. His adaptability means he could thrive alongside almost any star archetype, from high-usage guards to post hubs.
The problem, as O’Connor made clear, is that Charlotte doesn’t have that star. Not yet.
The quiet part: the talent gap is real
O’Connor didn’t mince words. The Hornets’ supporting cast simply isn’t on Miller’s level. It’s not an indictment of effort — more a reflection of where the roster stands developmentally. Beyond Miller, most of Charlotte’s core players are either inconsistent (LaMelo Ball, when healthy) or unproven (Knueppel, Diabate, Kalkbrenner). The result is a team constantly toggling between promise and frustration.
This talent gap is why Miller’s growth might feel stalled in the short term. He’s ready to win possessions — but not yet games. The Hornets, meanwhile, still operate like a team waiting for the next foundational piece to arrive, whether through the draft or a bold trade.
Where the Hornets go from here
If O’Connor’s comments sting, it’s because they’re accurate. The Hornets can’t waste Miller’s prime waiting for everything to click. The blueprint has to accelerate — through player development, creative trades, or calculated risks in free agency.
Charlotte’s front office has done well finding intriguing pieces, but not difference-makers. Without that leap, the team risks repeating the cycle: strong individual seasons from Ball or Miller overshadowed by 32-win finishes.
The good news? Miller’s versatility makes him the rare player you can build around or with. The Hornets still have flexibility, young assets, and time. But time in the NBA has a way of running out faster than teams expect.
O’Connor didn’t break new ground — he just said what many have been thinking. Miller looks the part of a future star, a plug-and-play modern wing who elevates any system. But until the rest of Charlotte’s roster matches his level of readiness, the Hornets’ rebuild will remain more promise than progress.
The question now isn’t whether Miller can play with anyone. It’s whether Charlotte can finally give him someone — or something — worth playing for.