LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller each rise in NBA Top 100 player ranking

Current ranking: No. 46

End of last season ranking: 49

Kirk Goldsberry's analysis

"Is he a leader? At 24 years old, Ball is one of the most talented young point guards in the NBA. But greatness at the 1 demands more than talent; the league’s best point guards always seem to be great leaders, too. This is the season for Ball to not only stay healthy for a full season but also become more of a “floor general” on both ends of the court. What does that look like? More passing, fewer dumb shots. Last season, Ball led the NBA in usage rate while also logging the lowest true shooting numbers of his entire career. That blend of me-first shooting and inefficiency helped create a bad offensive culture in Charlotte and was a big reason why the team ranked 29th in offensive efficiency last season."

My two cents

Here we go again... is he a leader? Can he play on a winning team? Selfish shot taker...the same old narrative around LaMelo entering another season. I think most forget that the Hornets did win 43 games in just his second year in the league, which also happens to be the year he played in 75 games. I understand the health concerns, but when he is healthy, he helps the Hornets win and is often the reason why they win. The me-first shooting comment about last year? I mean, come on. Guys like Vasa Micic, Damian Baugh, and DaQuan Jeffries were on the roster and playing serious minutes due to other injuries. Someone had to take the shots...

Brandon Miller

Current ranking: No. 85

End of last season ranking: 88

Kirk Goldsberry's analysis

"Is he a good stats, bad team guy, or a legit 50/40/90 type of All-Star scorer? The time is nigh for an answer: Miller enters year three with the look of a player who’s very close to figuring some things out inside a franchise that still hasn’t. NBA history is full of promising talents who never fully clicked in part because of their awkward surroundings. Last season, the 21-year-old quietly averaged more than 20 points per game, showing off a smoother handle, deeper range, and more confidence before a wrist injury ended his season. Miller’s combination of length, touch, and shot creation evokes the greatness of a young Paul George, but there’s still work to do."

My two cents

I'll again disagree, but not as harshly as I did with LaMelo. I do think there's a chance that Miller never turns into this perennial all-star talent that we all believe he can be, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be a good stats, bad team guy. He can still have loads of success on a successful team in Charlotte, but that's just going to mean someone else will have to fulfill that all-star/superstar role, even if it's someone who's not currently on the roster.

- MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI -

Robert Horry has scathing, inaccurate criticism of Hornets star LaMelo Ball

Charles Lee speaks on the 'bad reputation' LaMelo Ball gets and why it's way off base

The four most critical pieces to the Hornets' success beyond LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller

Projecting what the Hornets' starting lineup and depth chart will look like this season