Five takeaways from Brandon Miller's Summer League debut

2.  Stayed out of foul trouble

Charlotte's selection of Miller at No. 2 overall had many Hornets fans fearful of another draft-day blunder. Many critical reviews of his rocky first performances were due to his lack of defensive discipline. 

Committing 15 fouls in two games did come as a sign of concern, but against the Spurs, Miller did a much better job of moving his feet to stay in front of ball-handlers while using his size to force stops against Wembanyama.

But the 7-foot-4 phenom got Miller back, with the deflection of this deep three.

3. Looked for his shot early

Miller didn't have enough touches in his first pair of Summer League games and it was tough to gauge his true offensive ability when he didn't have the ball in his hands. In his previous Summer League game, he only attempted four field goals.

But facing the No. 1 draft pick, Miller was much more aggressive. Shooting eight shots in the first half, Miller looked to get his from the jump and was always prepared for catch-and-shoot chances.

Miller finished the game with 16 points (5-15 FG) 11 rebounds, and 3 steals. 

4. He's going to be a solid two-way player

In addition to being much more aggressive offensively, Miller showed flashes of his abilities as a rebounder. Finishing with double-digit boards, as well as bottling up Wembanyama defensively, Miller showed he could provide effectively for Charlotte on both sides of the floor.

5. Hornets lack perimeter playmaking

ESPN’s Mark Jones alluded to Charlotte’s need for a true point guard on their Summer League roster. This lack of playmaking, combined with Miller playing as a stretch four instead of his preferred position as a swingman, led to many awkward and static offensive possessions. 

LaMelo Ball orchestrating an offense alongside Miller will allow for a more accurate read of his true potential as a wing scorer.