NBA Rumors: Insiders Expect Hornets to Draft Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson at 2
It's reportedly looking increasingly like Brandon Miller will call Charlotte home.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported most NBA executives feel the Hornets will take Miller to fill a need on the wing versus attempting to pair LaMelo Ball and Scoot Henderson in an all-point guard backcourt.
The Alabama product had been widely considered the No. 3 player in this 2023 draft class behind Victor Wembanyama and Henderson. However, Miller and Henderson are thought of in the same general tier by many evaluators, some of whom even have Miller ranked higher.
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It would stand to reason that the Hornets would lean more toward Miller, who fills a need on the wing and has All-Star potential in his own right. Miller averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 38.4 percent from three-point range during his lone season at Alabama, showing versatility with his off-the-bounce game and some flashes on the defensive end.
"We're getting a little bit more advanced in putting this team together," Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak told reporters about possibly drafting a point guard.
"I think three years ago or even two years ago, I would've said without question that we're going to take the best available player. That's been our position for the last three or four years when you try to accumulate talent. I don't think we're where we need to be from a talent level, but we've got a lot more talent now than we did two or three years ago, so I think we can be a little bit picky and take into consideration not only the overall talent but also the position."
Assuming Kupchak views Miller as being of the same tier as Henderson, then drafting him is a fine decision. However, history has told us for a long time taking need over skill is a bad idea when it comes to drafting in the NBA.
The Hornets can thank the Golden State Warriors for drafting a need (James Wiseman) over talent (Ball) in the 2020 NBA draft, a move that backfired significantly for the defending champs.
