Brandon Miller Was With LaMelo Ball on Same Day Hornets Traded Ball to Timberwolves

Brandon Miller told Zach Lowe that he was with LaMelo Ball on the same day the Charlotte Hornets traded Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson also called Miller and Kon Knueppel and told them about the Ball trade before it became public. 

“It was no surprise to me,” Miller said. “But it was probably a surprise to you all. We knew what was going on. [Ball] is gonna continue to perfect his craft in Minnesota. As far as, is it a great fit for him? Is it a great move for us? I guess we’ll see. But I know his talent, and what he brings every night, and I think he’ll do great in Minnesota.”

Charlotte traded Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks. 

The Hornets never made the playoffs in the Ball era. Ball played in 303 games with Charlotte. He averaged 20.8 points and 7.3 assists per game and made one All-Star team (2022).    

Ball also won the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year award.

Miller and Knueppel are the new faces of the Charlotte franchise with Ball gone. Both youngsters have a lot of untapped potential.

Miller appeared in 65 games for the Hornets last season, his third year in the NBA. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 43.5% from the field, 38.3% from beyond the arc and 89.2% from the free-throw line.

Meanwhile, even though Knueppel didn't win the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year award, he still had a special season for the Hornets. The swingman averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game and shot 47.5% from the field, 42.5% from 3 and 86.3% from the free-throw line and led the NBA in 3-pointers.

The Hornets signed Miller to a five-year, $209 million extension. Miller is averaging 22.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season. He's shooting only 35.9% from the field, 26.7% from 3 and 86.1% from the foul line. 

It's been a rough start for Knueppel this season. He missed the first eight games because of a leg injury and got hurt in his season debut last night (11/4) against the Brooklyn Nets after just playing five minutes. It's unknown how long the second-year star will be out for. 

The Hornets are 3-6. They are last in the NBA in points per game, pace and offensive rating. 

It's early, but it appears Charlotte made a mistake by trading Ball, who is averaging 17.2 points and 5.9 assists per game in Minnesota. Without Ball, the Hornets are struggling to score.