Oct 8, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) and forward Brandon Miller (24) at mid court against the Miami Heat during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

NBA analyst reveals if Hornets would keep Brandon Miller or LaMelo Ball in hypothetical

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 12:21 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets appear to have two true building blocks: LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. For all the chatter that there has been about them one day having to or wanting to pick one to truly build around, they currently have and are planning to hold on to both of them.

What if they couldn't? Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley wondered which player the team would keep if they could only save one, if a theoretical, hypothetical expansion took place that meant teams couldn't keep their players. He believes it would be Miller, but he knows moving on from Ball would be a tough pill to swallow.

"From a business perspective, the Hornets would be foolish to let go of LaMelo Ball. He is by far their biggest draw, as his flashy style—on and off the court—is almost solely responsible for keeping the buzz alive in Buzz City," Buckley said.

"From a basketball sense, though, Miller looks like the more promising building block," he went on. Miller is cheaper, younger, and has not had as many major injuries or missed time in the NBA, which is a bit sad given how little Miller played in 2024-25.

"The durability argument shouldn't even be possible when Miller only lasted 27 games in his sophomore season due to wrist surgery, but he's still played almost as much in the past two seasons (3,307 minutes over 101 games) as Ball has in the past three (3,484 in 105)," Buckley added.

He claimed that the former Alabama product also doesn't have the questions about play style or winning basketball that seem to plague his teammate. "It's certainly possible Miller's star will never shine as bright, but there also aren't the concerns with decision-making, shot-selection, and defensive effort that exist with Ball," Buckley concluded.

For now, the Hornets don't have to and aren't going to choose between their two stars. But if they absolutely had to, the insider believes they'd have to make the hard choice and keep Miller in the building at all costs.