It seemed obvious when Charlotte made the decision to trade franchise star LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves that the Hornets were now Brandon Miller's team.
The No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Miller has emerged as a budding star in the league. After a slow start to the 2025-26 season as he worked his way back from a shoulder injury that cost him the majority of his second NBA campaign, Miller was an integral part of a massive run for the Hornets from January and on.
Ultimately, it was the best Charlotte season in a decade, with the Hornets making the play-in and winning a game before just missing the playoffs with a loss to the Miami Heat. For the season, Miller averaged over 20 points per game and shot a career-best 38% from three.
Miller is eligible for a massive contract extension this offseason, one that would be far and away the biggest for a former Alabama basketball star in NBA history.
His rookie-scale full max would be 5-years, $250 million. Most experts expect he'll take slightly less than that, but there's no doubt that an extension appears to be on the horizon. Hornets Executive Vice President Jeff Peterson all but confirmed that.
Hornets EVP Jeff Peterson said the franchise wants Brandon Miller in Charlotte for a 'very long time'
“I’ve had conversations with Brandon and his representation. They know that we want Brandon here for a very long time," Peterson said. "I won’t get into particulars. Bottom line is we want Brandon Miller here for a very long time."
Miller, alongside last season's runner-up for Rookie of the Year, Kon Knueppel, appears to be the future in Charlotte. The organization will build around those two star youngsters, and Miller's upcoming contract extension will be another vote of confidence in his ability to become an NBA star.
As long as he stays healthy, another leap should be expected during his fourth season in the league.
He'll likely get more on-ball responsibility with Ball shipped off to the Twin Cities. Improvement in creation and finding offense for himself and others is the next evolution in his game. If he can take the next step there, and the three-point shooting continues to tick up, then Miller will prove to be well worth the massive extension that the Hornets appear set to reward him with at some point this offseason.
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