Hornets mailbag: What is Brandon Miller’s potential? Can LaMelo Ball still be an All-Star?
Even with the holiday season upon us, things haven’t been very jolly around the Charlotte Hornets lately.
Injuries and unflattering losses are piling up, which is a recipe for turning off a fan base already starving for a winner. And as usual, the mounting frustration leads to a bevy of questions.
In this latest Hornets mailbag, we dive into reader queries about Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, whether it’s already a lost season in Charlotte, and more.
Kelz asks on X, formerly known as Twitter: Is this another lost season due to injuries?
It’s too early to say if it will be a lost season. But we’re getting to that point where we’re very close. The litany of injuries already has the Hornets 13 games below .500 going into this weekend’s action. No one — repeat no one, not even the biggest detractors of the Hornets — thought they would be in this situation and be this bad this quickly. But for those who follow the organization closely, it only seemed like a matter of time. Despite all the positivity coming to the preseason about the Hornets’ health, it’s still much of the same and interest is waning rapidly. The Hornets have to get it turned around immediately. Or yes, they will extend the NBA’s longest playoff drought.
Darian asks on X: Will the Hornets be thinking short term or long term when it comes to how they approach their next roster moves?
That will depend on where they are in the standings in about a month or so. Right now, it’s premature to tell because of all the injuries. Once LaMelo Ball, Cody Martin, Frank Ntilikina and others return to action, the Hornets can then assess what they have and see if they are still in contention for, at worst, a play-in tournament berth. If that is the case come the end of January, or going into the early part of February before the trade deadline, they probably wouldn’t look to make any major roster-shaking moves. That’s not the style of GM Mitch Kupchak. But if the Hornets falter and fall out of the postseason race and the fans become even less enamored with the product on the court this season, they may have to go in a different direction and sell off a couple of pieces that might not be around in 2024-25 and beyond.
Fraser asks on X: LaMelo Ball an All Star? Will he make it?
Statistically, LaMelo was on his way to making a strong case for himself. Before his right ankle gave out on him — again — forcing him to the sidelines, the numbers Ball put up were only being matched by a few others in the league. But the problem now is he’s missed a decent amount of games, which will not help his cause. And neither will the Hornets’ record. They’ve been atrocious. So, while you can never say never — think about it: What if he comes back next week and the Hornets rip off a 12-game win streak as he’s averaging 30 points and 10 assists? — it’s hard to see Ball collecting his second All-Star nod in 2023-24.
CookhimMelo asks on X: What is Brandon Miller’s potential?
Is this LaMelo’s burner account? If so, shouldn’t you know the answer already? Seriously, though, judging from what we’ve seen so far from the Hornets’ rookie and everything coaches say about him, the sky’s the limit for Miller. He has all the tools, which includes the ability to shoot, play multiple positions on defense, you name it. Whatever he’s asked to do, he can handle it without much worry from the staff. So, with Miller being such a versatile player and still learning all the intricacies of the sport after picking it up full time a few years ago since he was pretty good at baseball, too, growing up.
Dirk asks on X: As a defensive minded coach, have they just tuned out Steve Clifford at this point? Never expected the defense to be this bad.
Somebody with deep NBA knowledge who also has good insight on the Hornets warned the team’s defense would be an issue after seeing what transpired in the preseason finale against Boston. That was a precursor to what were witnessing now, and it truly is a head-scratcher for coach Steve Clifford. Whenever the players are asked about the constant defensive problems, they can’t always give concrete reasons and suggest it’s a concentration thing. A lack of focus for a split second is unacceptable, and it’s coming back to bite the Hornets constantly.
John Tehini asks on X: Can we get an update on Mark? This is ridiculous
This seems to come up frequently with other players. Let’s address this once and for all: Whenever we get an official update on a player or whatever information is known about an individual’s injury, it will always be passed down to the readers. That’s our duty. But our job does not include speculating recklessly because more pertinent information isn’t there. And right now with Williams, he doesn’t feel healthy enough to play. That’s it. There’s no conspiracy theory. He has a back injury and that may be one of the trickiest body parts to get a true gauge on. When he’s ready, he’ll be in uniform again.
Jamil asks on X: Thoughts on the Hornets rookies that have gotten some playing time recently?
The glimpses that we’ve seen of Nick Smith Jr. and Leaky Black have shown the two can definitely be contributors whenever Clifford feels they should be full-time players. Smith brings energy, has a really good shot behind the 3-point arc and a general overall enthusiasm that’s feels akin to Ball’s. You can detect why he was highly-coveted coming out of high school before landing at Arkansas.
As for Black, he’s shown some athleticism and an ability to finish on the fast break, which is a good thing for a team that likes to get up and down the floor. Black’s strength is defense, but if he can continue honing his game and progressing into more of an all-around player, Black may wind up being a diamond in the rough.
