Hornets Notes: No. 2 Pick, Miller, Henderson, Bridges, Jordan

It was difficult to find even one NBA executive at the draft combine in Chicago who believes that G League Ignite Scoot Henderson will be the pick at No. 2 in the draft over Alabama forward Brandon Miller, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link). Still, as he stated last week on Zach Lowe’s podcast, Givony isn’t quite ready to lock in Miller as the Hornets‘ choice at No. 2.

According to Givony, Hornets president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak weighs individual team workouts more heavily than many executives, and there’s a possibility Henderson will have a more impressive workout than Miller, who has been recovering from mononucleosis and has lost 13 pounds since the end of the NCAA season, per agent Wilmer Jackson. After meeting with a dozen teams at the combine, including the Hornets, Miller intends to fly to Charlotte in mid-June for a workout and a second interview, says Givony.

The Hornets are also doing due diligence into Miller’s connection to a fatal January shooting, sending their own attorneys to Tuscaloosa this week to look into the matter, Givony writes. Team executives at the combine said that Miller had a legal brief written by his lawyers advising clubs that the 20-year-old wouldn’t be able to comment on specific details related to that case due to ongoing legal proceedings.

According to Givony, some teams have concerns about how possible lawsuits or follow-up investigations into the incident could impact Miller, but Jackson insists his client is “free and clear” of any wrongdoing.

“The case is still open, and Brandon has had limited communication for that reason,” Jackson said. “He’s been cleared from day one. We were told by the attorneys not to speak about the situation. At the right time we can have that conversation, but for now, we’re leaving it alone and will let the process complete itself.”

Here’s more on the Hornets:

  • G League Ignite Anthony McClish has nothing but praise for Henderson, who in turn seems genuinely excited about the Hornets’ core and the possibility of playing in Charlotte, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “He’s going to be loved by coaches, he’s going to be loved by teammates, he’s going to be loved by fans and youth in the community,” McClish said of Henderson, who spent two seasons with the Ignite. “He’s uplifted our building. He’s been our beacon of what we want to have as an example, in terms of our values and carrying a program.”
  • After sitting out last season due to his domestic violence case, former Hornets forward Miles Bridges will once again be a restricted free agent this offseason, assuming Charlotte reissues a qualifying offer. The Hornets’ front office would like to have Bridges back on the roster next season, sources tell Givony.
  • Since a March report indicated that Michael Jordan was mulling the possibility of selling his majority stake in the Hornets, there have been few updates. According to Givony, one reason for the delay is that Jordan was waiting to see if Charlotte would land the No. 1 overall pick before making any decisions. It’s unclear if – or how – snagging the No. 2 pick might affect Jordan’s plans, or when a potential sale might occur, Givony says.
View Comments (22)