Hornets mailbag: Brandon Miller contract extension? Best use for draft picks?
We’re a month away from the NBA Draft, which officially signals the next phase of action for the Charlotte Hornets.
As usual, questions abound as the Hornets prepare to retool the roster following a 44-win campaign that concluded without ending the league’s longest current playoff drought.
In this latest mailbag, we answer reader queries about Brandon Miller’s contract, what the Hornets should do with their two first-round draft picks, whether they’ll re-sign Coby White and more.
NBA Draft strategy
Branden asks on X: Should they try to trade up in the draft or trade the pick for a star?
From this vantage point, it would be the latter. Following a season that saw them collect 20-plus more wins than they did in their first season under coach Charles Lee, the Hornets are in prime position to make that next step. With this draft supposedly being deeper than any in years and loaded with players who can help an NBA team, the time is now for the Hornets to cash in those picks and move them for an experienced player who can help them immediately.
Free agency isn’t what it used to be, and the Hornets don’t have a good track record of luring the top ones here. So, the trade route is the best way for them to plug in the gaps with high-level veterans. And with that in mind, while also understanding they must improve after falling short this past season to end the NBA’s longest postseason drought, the smart move is probably to trade those assets for a proven commodity. Charlotte still has plenty of draft capital at its disposal over the next half-decade. Using this year’s picks to improve the roster is the proper play.
Tidjane Salaün
Darrion D. Eastmon asks on X: This will be year 3 for Tidjane Salaün. I still have high hopes for him. How crucial is this upcoming season for his future, and what would a successful year look like for him? More specifically, what does he need to do to earn a consistent spot in the rotation?
The first thing: continue to be a sponge. You’re right, he’s only 20 years old and learned how to play basketball in another country. Salaün has to figure out how to best fit in and use his skill set to help him flourish in the NBA. He’s shown flashes in his time in the G League in Greensboro with the Swarm. But that has to translate on a more consistent basis whenever coach Charles Lee does insert him in the game.
It’s definitely a big offseason for Salaün, one in which he will have to get in the film room and see what worked well for him against some of the league’s best players, and take that and build upon it while also deciphering those areas he has to focus on greatly in order to get consistent playing time. He must also master the playbook better and be fully aware of his responsibilities on both sides of the ball.
As for what a successful season for him would look like, he has to be a full-fledged contributing member and increase the statistical numbers in the most important categories.
Brandon Miller contract extension
Seven Burns asks on X: Any news on Brandon’s extension this summer?
Not at the moment, no. These things usually don’t happen until the executives can get a better idea of how the financial landscape is shaping up for the new league year.
If you recall, the Hornets agreed to a max contract with LaMelo Ball in July 2023. So with Brandon, the target date should be similar. It would be a surprise from this viewpoint if things happened before then. But should nothing materialize by mid-July, the next checkpoint comes just before the deadline at the outset of the 2026-27 season. Many rookie extensions tend to get done right before the deadline to keep the player from becoming a restricted free agent in the following offseason.
There’s a good chance that’s what happens with Miller as he rehabs his shoulder surgery that will probably have him, at minimum, limited when it comes to contact once training camp begins in the fall.
Hornets’ developmental plan
Gerg Peters asks on Bluesky: They’re set to have (two) more draft picks incoming this summer. It already feels like there’s a crunch on developmental minutes, with (Liam) McNeeley barely getting on the court to end the year. How do you think they’ll handle the logjam?
Unless there’s a major shift in the way the roster is currently structured, the Hornets are going to be more about trying to get to the next level as opposed to being in the developmental stage. And should they elect to use both first-round picks; only one of them would likely have an immediate chance to crack the rotation.
That means the other probably finds himself in a situation similar to that of Liam McNeeley this past season, just as you mentioned. There simply won’t be enough minutes to go around. So suiting up for the Greensboro Swarm for more than a few games would surely be in the cards for anyone not selected with the Hornets’ initial pick in the first round.
Coby White contract
CeeCee Lewis asks on X: Will the Hornets offer a new contract to Coby White?
That is the plan. To quote the great Lenny Kravitz: “It ain’t over till it’s over.” But both sides definitely want to keep the partnership going.
For those who may have missed it, White reiterated that point in a conversation with the Charlotte Observer that coincides with what Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson told The Observer just before the season ended: The Hornets believe White is a solid piece to add to the core.
And it’s part of the reason they traded for him — so they can acquire his Bird Rights and go over the salary cap to re-sign him.
White just adds a different dimension to the Hornets, especially the second unit behind LaMelo Ball. His basketball IQ, along with his North Carolina ties, make it a no-brainer to keep him around for the foreseeable future. In short, he’s not going anywhere.
