Based in part on the Charlotte Hornets‘ roster needs, Jonathan Givony of ESPN believes Alabama wing Brandon Miller is slightly more likely than G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson to be the team's draft pick at No. 2 overall, telling ESPN’s Zach Lowe on The Lowe Post podcast that he would put the odds of Charlotte drafting Miller at 60 percent. However, according to Givony, Miller is not necessarily acing the pre-draft process so far.
“Every team in the NBA is looking for this type of player,” Givony said (hat tip to RealGM). “Six-nine, big guard, can handle the ball. Pass out of pick and roll. Make shots off the dribble. Defend multiple positions. Rebound. That’s what people are looking for. At the same time, he is not in great shape right now, so I don’t know how great his workout’s going to be. His interviews have not been great, I’ve been told — both publicly and privately with NBA teams.”
As David Aldridge of The Athletic writes, teams meeting with Miller will have questions about his connection to the death of Jamea Jonae Harris in Tuscaloosa. Miller allegedly brought former Alabama teammate Darius Miles the gun that was used in the killing, though he has insisted that he did not know the gun was in the car. The 20-year-old wasn’t charged with a crime and executives who spoke to Aldridge don’t believe it will materially affect Miller’s draft stock.
“I don’t believe there will be any impact unless he lies in his interviews,” one exec said. “Integrity is more relevant than criminal friends; one we can fix, the other, we can’t.”
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