Jordan Miller had a big season ahead of him.
One of the Los Angeles Clippers' most promising young players just suffered a devastating blow to delay what could have been a breakout season.
Jordan Miller will miss significant time next season after news came out from ESPN's Shams Charania that Miller underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn left rotator cuff that he suffered during an offseason workout and he will be reevaluated in six months.
This is brutal news for the Clippers and even when Miller is reevaluated, which wouldn't be until the end of December at the earliest based on the current reported timeline, that still doesn't guarantee that Miller will be ready for a return by that point. Depending on the severity of the damage, a torn rotator cuff can take up to 12 months for a full recovery.
Golden State Warriors guard Will Richard (3) moves the ball against Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesMiller Was On the Rise
Miller burst onto the scene for the Clippers during the 2025-26 season, playing in 60 games after spending the first two seasons of his professional career on two-way contracts and spending time in the G-League.
In those 60 games, Miller averaged 10 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.8 steals in 22.1 minutes per game and showed in earnest for the first time in his career what his potential as a player was.
LA Clippers guardJordanMiller(22) shoots against Sacramento Kings guard Daeqwon Plowden (29) during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Darren Yamashita-Imagn ImagesThose career numbers were enough for the Clippers to put their faith in him that they showed by signing him to a three-year, $15,300,000 contract this offseason, with a team option for the final year, and it looked like that Miller was going to have a real opportunity as a second-option at the bare minimum in a talented young Clippers roster.
Now those plans will have to be put on hold while Miller pivots toward focusing on his recovery and trying to make as speedy of a comeback as possible, though speedy in this instance still likely means by the start of the new year at the earliest.
LA Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) controls the ball in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley III (35) during the game between the Mavericks and the Clippers at American Airlines Center. Jerome Miron-Imagn ImagesLosing Young Talent
The Clippers, in the meantime, will have to move forward without a promising wing at their disposal and with Yanic Konan Niederhauser, another homegrown Clipper, also expected to miss at least the start of the season with an injury of his own, the Clippers are down two of their best young talents in ther first full season of what's been an aggressive rebuild.
It's a very tough pill for Miller to swallow after all of the work that he's put in to get himself NBA ready, especially with such an open opportunity ahead of him in the midst of the Los Angeles rebuild, but now he'll have to bide his time and focus on his recovery if he wants a chance at salvaging at least some of his 2026-27 season.
