Hornets’ Brandon Miller Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Hornets forward Brandon Miller has undergone surgery to address instability in his left shoulder, the team announced today in a press release.
The Hornets didn’t provide any sort of recovery timeline for Miller or confirm that he’ll be ready for the 2026/27 season. The team simply ruled him out indefinitely and stated that updates will be provided as appropriate.
After being limited to 27 games in 2024/25 due to a wrist injury, Miller had a breakout third year, averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 30.3 minutes per game across 65 outings (all starts). He made 43.5% of his shots from the floor, including 38.3% of his three-point tries, and 89.2% of his free throws.
Miller played a key role in the Hornets’ best season in a decade. The club had a 41-24 record when he played and went just 3-14 in the games he missed.
Miller’s one extended absence came at the start of the year when he missed 13 consecutive games after being diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation, which is a partially dislocated shoulder. Although he returned in late November and played in all but four games the rest of the way, he wore protection on that shoulder following his absence. It seems the injury never fully healed, prompting the decision to address it surgically at this time.
Miller is one of 23 players who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
Hornets Notes: White, Diabate, Offseason, Draft
Hornets head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson reiterated a couple weeks ago that the team is interested in re-signing Coby White. The 26-old guard says the feeling is mutual, telling Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer that the Hornets’ employees “create a fun environment,” which he values. White also likes the on-court fit.
“I think just the basketball, how they play, how they compete, what they’re building is something I can look forward to being a part of,” White said. “They say I can be a part of the culture that they’re building. And they obviously play a style that kind of benefits me. People could tell that by the end of the season, how I was playing. It was probably one of my most efficient stretches I had in terms of minutes and what I was doing in those minutes.
“So, yeah, I think everything just aligns right. And like I said from the jump when I first got here, something just felt right. And I think it was all part of God’s plan for me to be here.”
White, a North Caroline native, said he loves being part of the Hornets, who haven’t made the playoffs in 10 years, the longest active drought in the NBA. Still, the team certainly appears to be on the upswing after a 33-15 run to end the regular season.
Here’s more on the Hornets:
- One significant factor in the team’s success over that prolonged stretch was the play Moussa Diabate, an undersized center who won the league’s Hustle Award on Thursday. The French big man tells Boone he’s thrilled to claim the award, but believes it’s “only the beginning” of what he’s capable of. “It’s great,” Diabate told The Charlotte Observer. “It shows that I’ve been putting a lot of work in and just playing hard. That’s what it comes down to. I think it’s really a definition of who’s playing hard. The ones that maybe don’t get the proper recognition, but are still out there doing the work or are very impactful without showing as much on the stat sheet.”
- Yossi Gozlan of the Third Apron (Substack link) previews the Hornets’ offseason, pointing out that the team has two first-round picks in the 2026 draft and a surplus of future first- and second-rounders going forward. Re-signing White would have Charlotte operating as an over-the-cap team this summer, according to Gozlan, who also projects Brandon Miller to sign a highly lucrative rookie scale extension, which would kick in during the 2027/28 campaign.
- In case you missed it, the Hornets’ two first-round picks are currently at Nos. 14 and 18 in the pre-lottery order. Charlotte has a 0.5% chance of moving up from No. 14 to No. 1 at the draft lottery, which takes place May 10.
Hornets Notes: Lee, Physicality, LaMelo, Knueppel, Offseason
There were several positive developments in 2025/26 for the Hornets, who improved from 19 to 44 wins and had the best net rating in the NBA from the start of January through the end of the regular season.
Still, as Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes, the team extended its playoff drought to a league-worst 10 straight years as a result of Friday’s drubbing at Orlando. Head coach Charles Lee said the Hornets need to learn from the loss and use it as motivation for the future.
“You’re one step away from being in the playoffs, so I don’t want to discredit that,” Lee said, “but this has got to hurt a little bit. And you’ve got to think about this offseason. When you’re in the weight room, when you’re on the court. What am I going to do to go that extra mile to get even better, because we had a ton of growth this year.
“I don’t want those guys to lose sight of the positives that they did do. I think that the resilience of the team, the competitiveness, the togetherness continue to grow. And we earned an opportunity to be right there. So, ton of good, but that was not our best effort.”
Lee referred to ’25/26 as a “stepping stone” for the Hornets, Boone adds.
“Let this fuel you,” Lee said. “But also don’t take for granted the fact that you guys earned a ton of respect from everyone throughout the league with how hard you played, how well you played. And I think that they also helped build another stepping stone for this organization.”
Here’s more from Charlotte:
- “Physicality” was a constant theme throughout the team’s exit interviews on Saturday after the Hornets were pushed around by the Magic, according to Boone. Both Lee and LaMelo Ball said getting stronger will be an area of emphasis for the former All-Star point guard. “Being able to handle physicality,” Lee said. “I think that’s just a global theme for our team. I have to figure out how to help them in that regard, but then we also have to figure out how do we have the physical toughness? Which is a lot of weight room. And then I think some of it is also just the mental execution of how to best combat it. What play do we need to run? How fast do we need to play? What are some of the basketball situations? So a lot of that will follow Melo, because he’s one of our primary ball-handlers. But then it gets spread around to the whole team, too.”
- Kon Knueppel played exceptionally well for most of ’25/26 after being selected fourth overall in last year’s draft, but he struggled down the stretch, especially in the team’s two play-in games, Boone observes. The Rookie of the Year candidate didn’t make any excuses for his late-season slump. “Yeah, no excuses,” said Knueppel, who appeared in 83 of Charlotte’s 84 games. “I just didn’t make a lot of shots. I shot really well throughout the year and you just got to the point in the last week of the season, the last two weeks of the season, just didn’t shoot it great. Sometimes that’s how it rolls. Obviously, there are some big games and you want to be able to shoot it well and you want to have your best stuff. I just didn’t have it. So, it’s frustrating. It is a long season. It’s my first time doing it, so some of that I think is a learning experience, just how to keep yourself fresh because these seasons are long. I haven’t had any off time since last college season, and so I’m looking forward to some rest. But it’ll be something I think about for sure, going forward, just one of the best ways to manage that come out ready to go next year.” Lee said he wants to see the former Duke wing become a more vocal leader, and Knueppel agreed that it was “definitely an area of improvement.”
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks previews the Hornets’ offseason, writing that re-signing Coby White and adding another prospect to their young core with their lottery pick will be top priorities. Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges will all be extension-eligible this summer, Marks notes.
And-Ones: Player Movement, J. Harper, CP3, More
It could be an eventful summer across the NBA, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), who suggests within his look ahead to the offseason that there’s “growing anticipation” in rival front offices that more than one of Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Lakers forward LeBron James could end up changing teams in the coming months.
Of the three, only James will be a free agent, Stein notes. But both Antetokounmpo and Leonard were involved in trade rumors in February ahead of the deadline and those rumors figure to resurface as both stars enter potential contract years.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA point guard Jared Harper has been out of the league since 2022, but he’s building an impressive résumé overseas. Playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, Harper has been named the EuroCup MVP for a second straight year after averaging 19.5 points and 5.2 assists per game and leading his team to a league-best record of 13-5 during the 2025/26 regular season.
- After retiring from the NBA in February, future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul will reportedly join the staff at Campbell Hall High in California and coach his son, Chris Paul II. Hunter Shelton of On3.com has the details.
- Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) evaluates what the next contracts for several players eligible for rookie scale extensions in 2026 might look like, exploring whether maximum-salary deals are within reach for Jazz guard Keyonte George and Hornets forward Brandon Miller.
- With the first round of the playoffs set to tip off on Saturday, Zach Kram of ESPN ranks the 50 most impactful players taking part in the postseason, from play-in stars like Stephen Curry and Tyrese Maxey to top options on title contenders, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama.
Hornets Notes: Knueppel, Miller, White, Williams
Kon Knueppel continued his remarkable rookie year Thursday night by setting the Hornets‘ franchise record for most three-pointers in a season, writes Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Knueppel hit four shots from beyond the arc in a win over Phoenix, giving him a league-leading 261 and surpassing Kemba Walker‘s total of 260 during the 2018/19 season.
“I think maybe I’ve surpassed my expectations for myself a little bit,” Knueppel said.
As Reed relates, Knueppel didn’t feel like he had a great offseason after being selected with the No. 4 pick and wasn’t sure what his role would be as he arrived in training camp. That changed quickly as he played his way into the opening night starting lineup and has remained there throughout the season.
Knueppel credited Charlotte fans with inspiring him through their response as he neared the record on Thursday.
“You definitely feel it,” he said. “It makes the ones that go in real, real sweet, but it is also like pretty reassuring as a shooter when the ones you miss the crowd (lets out) an audible like ‘ooooh.’ That’s reassuring as a shooter that fans believe in that every shot you take is going in.”
There’s more from Charlotte:
- Brandon Miller also set a team record by making a three-pointer in his 54th consecutive game, eclipsing the mark set by LaMelo Ball, Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer notes in a subscriber-only story. Coach Charles Lee said Miller has evolved into more than a scorer in his third NBA season, which is an important part of the Hornets’ success. “As the whole team really started to take a jump, Brandon became more vocal about wanting to become a two-way player,” Lee said. “I thought that his actions backed it up even more as we started putting him on a lot of the primary scorers while also playing through him offensively, and he’s giving it to us at both ends. His ability to play long stretches during the game is helping us. So I’ve been really impressed with helping elevate our team to another level.”
- The February trade for Coby White continues to pay dividends as he scored 19 points off the bench and helped Charlotte rally in the second quarter after Phoenix built an early lead, Boone states in the same piece. The Hornets will face a decision this summer on White, who is on an expiring $12.9MM contract. “It’s been a great luxury to have,” Lee said. “Coby’s done a really good job of finding a way to get up to speed quickly and make an impact on both ends of the floor. I see him get more and more into a rhythm every game he has. The fact that I can use him in a lot of different ways is really, really good.”
- Thursday brought a return to Charlotte for Suns center Mark Williams, who was back on the court after missing 15 games with a left foot stress reaction, Boone adds. Williams, who spent the first three seasons of his career with the Hornets, received a tribute video before he checked into the game midway through the first quarter. “It was cool,” he said. “I got some mixed emotions, but yeah it’s good to be back. Obviously, this is where I was drafted, where my career started, the organization that took a chance on me. So, mixed emotions really though for sure. As in good and bad? Happy and sad? “A little bit of everything. I was here, they traded me twice. Yeah, so I’ll just leave it at that.”
Cunningham, Wembanyama Earn Player Of The Month Honors
Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham has become the first player to be named Player of the Month twice this season, earning the Eastern Conference award for February after also having done so in October/November, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).
Cunningham’s Pistons maintained their comfortable lead atop the Eastern Conference standings by going 9-2 in March. The former No. 1 overall pick led the way, averaging 25.4 points, 9.9 assists, 6.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 33.5 minutes per contest, with a .472/.373/.769 shooting line.
Cunningham’s biggest game of the month came after the All-Star break when he racked up 42 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds in a victory over the Knicks in New York. That was one of six double-doubles he recorded in February.
Cunningham beat out fellow nominees Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers), Desmond Bane (Magic), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks), Brandon Ingram (Raptors), Brandon Miller (Hornets), and Ryan Rollins (Bucks) to claim the monthly award in the Eastern Conference, according to the league (Twitter link).
Meanwhile, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama – another former first overall pick – was recognized for the second time this afternoon, earning Player of the Month recognition in the Western Conference after also having won the Defensive Player of the Month award.
In addition to anchoring the West’s best defense in February, Wembanyama put up big offensive numbers, contributing 22.5 points and 3.5 assists to go along with his 11.3 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. It was enough to earn the 22-year-old the first Player of the Month award of his career.
San Antonio has dominated the Western Conference’s monthly awards after enjoying an 11-0 February — while Wembanyama took home Player of the Month and Defensive Player of the Month, his teammate Dylan Harper was named Rookie of the Month.
The other nominees for Player of the Month in the West were Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, Lakers guard Luka Doncic, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, and Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
Anthony Edwards, Jalen Duren Named Players Of The Week
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has been named the Western Conference’s Player of the Week, while Pistons center Jalen Duren has claimed the award in the East, the NBA announced on Monday (via Twitter).
Edwards, who was named to his fourth straight All-Star team this season, helped Minnesota go 3-0 in a trio of road games played from February 23 – March 1. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 28.7 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals on .457/.357/.667 shooting in those three appearances (37.7 minutes per game).
Duren, a first-time All-Star in 2025/26, helped guide Detroit to a 3-1 record last week. The 22-year-old big man averaged 25.8 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG in 34.0 MPG. He shot 63.9% from the field and 73.5% on free throws over the four games.
According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Saddiq Bey (Pelicans), Luka Doncic (Lakers), Kevin Durant (Rockets) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder).
Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Duren’s teammate Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuminga (Hawks), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Brandon Miller (Hornets) were nominated in the East.
Luka Doncic, Jaylen Brown Named Players Of The Month
Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been named the NBA’s Player of the Month for the Western Conference, while Celtics wing Jaylen Brown has won the award in the East, the league announced today (Twitter link).
The Lakers were 9-6 in games Doncic played in January, and the All-Star guard increased his league-leading scoring average by racking up 34.0 points per game in those 15 outings. He posted a shooting line of .506/.392/.747 for the month while also contributing 9.1 assists, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per night.
Doncic had four 30-point triple-doubles in January, capped by a 37-point, 13-assist, 11-rebound outing in Washington to wrap up the month last Friday. It’s the sixth Player of the Month award of his career and his first since he became a Laker almost exactly one year ago.
Brown’s career year continued in January as he led the Celtics to a 9-5 record in the 14 games he played, averaging 29.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 4.6 APG. The 29-year-old matched a career high by scoring 50 points in a win over the Clippers on January 3, then had a 27-point triple-double in a double-overtime victory in Brooklyn on Jan. 23.
While his teammate Jayson Tatum has racked up five Player of the Month awards over the course of his career, this is the first time Brown has earned the honor.
Brown beat out fellow nominees Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell of the Heat, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, Sixers center Joel Embiid, Hornets forward Brandon Miller, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Pacers forward Pascal Siakam for the January award, per the NBA (Twitter link).
The other Western Conference nominees were Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray.
Dillon Brooks, Brandon Miller Earn Player Of Week Honors
Suns forward Dillon Brooks and Hornets forward Brandon Miller have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the league (Twitter links).
Brooks led his team to a 3-1 record during the week of January 26 to February 1 while averaging 28.8 points per game on 54.5 percent shooting from three-point range. He also averaged 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists during those four contests, which included victories by double-digits over the Pistons and Cavaliers.
Miller averaged 26.3 points in just 29.8 minutes per game as the Hornets enjoyed a 4-0 week capped by a win over San Antonio The third-year wing shot 50 percent from three-point range, grabbed 5.8 rebounds per game, and made all 25 of his free throw attempts en route to his first ever Player of the Week award.
Besides being named Player of the Week for the first time in their respective careers, Brooks and Miller are each became the first player from his team to earn the honor this season.
Brooks beat out a handful of stars for the weekly awards. Luka Doncic (Lakers), Kevin Durant (Rockets), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other Western Conference nominees.
Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers), OG Anunoby and Josh Hart (Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Joel Embiid (Sixers) and Aaron Nesmith (Pacers) were also nominated in the East.
Hornets Notes: Bridges, Miller, Hot Streak, Schedule
Several teams reportedly have interest in Hornets forward Miles Bridges, but he said after Saturday’s win over Washington that his preference is to remain with Charlotte, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required). Boone points out that Bridges is often the subject of trade speculation at this time of year, so he’s not affected by it.
“Just focus on winning, focus on controlling what I can control,” Bridges said. “If I get traded, if I don’t get traded. … I would rather be here. But I know if I do get traded, I know (president of basketball operations) Jeff Peterson and those guys, they’ll talk to me first. So, I don’t try to worry about that. I just worry about the games.”
Bridges, who is earning $25MM this season, has one year left on his contract at $22.8MM, which is viewed around the league as a team-friendly deal. He has spent his entire career with the Hornets after being drafted in 2018 and has been through a lot of losing, but he’s excited about the direction the team is headed with a talented young nucleus.
“Yeah, I for sure want to be a part of it,” Bridges said. “I feel like everybody else wants everybody to stay together. But you’ve just got to control what you can control, continue to stack games.”
There’s more from Charlotte:
- Brandon Miller‘s progress was slowed by injuries after an outstanding rookie season, but he’s proven that he can still be a reliable scoring threat since returning to action in mid-November, Boone states in the same piece. Miller, who’s considered to be one of the team’s few untouchables on the trade market, has reached at least 20 points in the last six games. He also expressed a desire to keep the current roster together. “That’s the goal,” Miller said, “to have everybody stay here. But unfortunately, it’s the game. We only can control what we can control. So, I think just controlling the controllables would be great.”
- The Hornets improved to 18-28 and are showing signs that they may be able to challenge for a play-in spot. Boone notes that they have the NBA’s highest net rating over the past 10 games, ranking second in offensive rating at 121.4 and sixth in defensive rating at 109.5. In addition, the combination of Miller, Bridges, LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel and Moussa Diabate boasts the league’s best plus-minus rating at +29.1.
- Today’s game was moved to a noon ET tip-off because of a severe storm expected to arrive in the Charlotte area. There are concerns that the weather might affect Monday’s home game against Philadelphia, but the current plan is to play it as scheduled, according to Boone, who states that the Sixers are flying into Charlotte shortly after today’s game against New York.