Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a rookie extension worth $209 million over five years, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
The new contract establishes Miller as the Hornets’ highest-paid player and one of the centerpieces of their future, continuing the shift that began when they traded former face-of-the-franchise LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves earlier this offseason.
After an injury-plagued sophomore season, the sharpshooting wing had a bounce-back year in 2025-26 with
averages of 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 44/38/89 (FG/3PT/FT) shooting splits over 65 games.
Miller was selected second overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, one pick ahead of Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson. Miller was regarded as more likely to find a lucrative offer in restricted free agency than Henderson, who has still yet to receive an extension. A player pairing shooting with size has never been more in-style than it is in today’s NBA. By contrast, small, inefficient guards face an increasingly tough market.
After an extremely slow start to last year’s campaign, Charlotte went on a tear to end the season as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference before being eliminated in their second play-in game. With Miller and 2025-26 Rookie of the Year runner-up Kon Knueppel leading their young core, the Hornets aim to build on that momentum.
