Is Brandon Miller playing tonight against Denver Nuggets? Latest on Hornets forward's status for Summer League game (July 16)
Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets are scheduled to play the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday in Summer League action in Las Vegas. The game will tipoff at 6 p.m. ET and can be seen live on ESPN 2. It will also be broadcast locally on Altitude and Bally Sports SE-CHA. Fans can also watch the game on NBA League Pass.
Miller is arguably the most important player on the Hornets’ Summer League roster, and he should play in all likelihood. He was in action against the New York Knicks on Saturday and led his team to a 94-90 win.
Brandon Miller had 23 points, eight rebounds and two assists on 7 of 16 shooting. He was especially efficient from beyond the arc, as he shot 5 of 10. He got great support from Nick Smith Jr., who had 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Charlotte has won the only game it has played so far. The Denver Nuggets have played two and lost both. They first fell 88-78 to the LA Clippers before going down 84-81 against the Toronto Raptors.
How did Brandon Miller fare in his first season with Charlotte Hornets?
Brandon Miller was drafted second in 2023, just behind French phenom Victor Wembanyama. He declared for the draft after just one season with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Miller was expected to form a duo with LaMelo Ball and fasten Charlotte’s rebuilding process. However, injuries limited Ball to just 22 games.
Miller, however, did his thing in 74 games, 68 of which he started. He ended his rookie season averaging 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks. He made the All-Rookie first team and finished third in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting behind Wemby and OKC Thunder’s Chet Holmgren.
Despite Miller having a decent season, the Hornets won just 21 games and finished 13th in the Eastern Conference. If LaMelo Ball can stay healthy, things could improve for the team. Charlotte drafted Tidjane Salaun sixth in 2024 out of Cholet Basket in France.
While lottery picks don’t guarantee success in the NBA, the Hornets do have the potential to have a breakout year, with Brandon Miller leading the charge with an even better second year.