Oct 27, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) gives forward Brandon Miller (24) a low high five after a play against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

NBA analyst picks Hornets' best player in three years for all the wrong reasons

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 12:52 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets have two franchise cornerstones in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. There have been questions about which one the team should really focus on and build around, but for now, they're both major pieces of the rebuild.

Which one will end up being better? After all these years, we have a good idea of how good Ball can be. Miller is more unknown, as he has one full season and then another of less than 30 games, so he could end up being a lot better than we expect.

In three years, Grant Hughes from Bleacher Report thinks the Hornets' best player will be Brandon Miller. That's all well and good, but the reasoning for picking Miller is faulty and disappointing.

Brandon Miller earns NBA analyst's praise at LaMelo Ball's expense

Brandon Miller could end up being better than LaMelo Ball thanks to his defensive length, versatility, and defensive effort. Miller seems to do more of the little things to affect winning than Ball, which is why many thought Charlotte might trade Ball to build around Miller.

That's not why Grant Hughes picked Miller, though. He just thinks Charlotte will get tired of Ball's perceived lack of leadership and move on, which isn't totally impossible, but it is highly unlikely.

"With apologies to Tidjane Salaün and Kon Kneuppel, the Charlotte Hornets really only have two options here: LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller," Hughes admitted. He also admitted that Miller is "risky" since Ball has a much better track record as an All-Star and "valuable offensive catalyst."

Hughes went on, "This is a bet that at some point in the next three seasons, Charlotte will have tired of Ball's sporadic availability and/or determined he's not leadership material." This is a sentiment that has pervaded any and all coverage of Ball or the Hornets lately.

Can LaMelo Ball win? Will the Hornets keep trying with him? Those questions persist despite neither party wanting to break up and both sides believing they can make it work together. The Hornets haven't helped Ball much yet, but he apparently deserves the brunt of the blame for his squad's losing record year after year.

"Lately, the Hornets have pivoted away from chasing Play-In spots, so we should assume they're willing to take a step back in the interest of long-term gains," Hughes said. This is true, but it doesn't exactly extend to trading a franchise cornerstone.

Nevertheless, Hughes said, "That could include trading Ball for picks and prospects, and it's worth noting that he'll be an expiring contract (unless Charlotte extends him) in 2028-29." Because Miller is younger and cheaper (and has "more runway" to become a fixture of serious basketball), he was Hughes' pick over Ball.

But age and financial status have nothing to do with how good a player is, for the most part. Ball is only a year older than Miller, so it's not as if we're talking about someone who will be ancient in three years versus a player not even in their prime.

Miller may end up better, but as mentioned, it'll be because of his talent, not because the Hornets gave up on Ball.