Most will agree that LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are the pillars of the current iteration of the Charlotte Hornets. However, they have yet to play together as much as they likely want. As one front office executive said of the duo, per Keith Smith of Spotrac, during the Las Vegas NBA Summer League, "They played like 20 games together last year. That's not going to cut it. We have to figure that out, and we're confident we will."
While the pair of stars appeared in 20 contests last season, they did so 19 times in the previous campaign. So, despite having been with the Hornets for two years now, the total number of nights Ball and Miller have shared the floor is still fewer than half a season's worth of matches.
The idea that they can serve as the primary building blocks of a contending squad is based on theory or hope. However, skepticism abounds, as the Hornets are just 14-25 whenever both of them suit up. On the other hand, we can chalk the dismal record up to a substandard supporting cast primarily caused by a flawed roster-building philosophy in the past that the current front office has been resolving, as well as a heavy dose of injuries to key pieces.
The good news is that Charlotte has made sure to look for players with the potential to complement Ball and Miller so far in the offseason, per the executive. From drafting Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Sion James, and Ryan Kalkbrenner to trading for Collin Sexton, the organization has been on point for the most part.
Of course, there have been some gambles that might not pay dividends, including acquiring Mason Plumlee and Spencer Dinwiddie while not addressing the possible lack of quality depth at power forward and center. On a brighter note, the Hornets don't appear to have executed any moves that can significantly set them back.
Hornets stars have to show they are capable of staying on the court
Still, until Melo and BMill prove capable of staying on the court more than on the sidelines, Buzz City isn't going anywhere.
Ball is a bigger concern because he has yet to show that he can be trusted in the area of health. He has averaged just 35.0 contests per season in the past three years.
Meanwhile, Miller doesn't yet deserve to be tagged with the injury-prone label, as he suited up in 74 games during his rookie campaign before a right wrist injury capped his appearances in the 2024-25 season to 27 matches. However, with the franchise's misfortune with injuries, some fans probably can't help but be worried about the young swingman's long-term status.
Hopefully, they can get over their health issues. Not only do we need to see if the duo is the right foundation to build the team on, but the players that have been brought in are apparently intended to complement the pair. So, Charlotte can't afford to be without any of Ball or Miller for an extended period.