Brandon Miller gets brutally honest about how he feels after the LaMelo Ball trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Charlotte Hornets made the tough decision to part ways with franchise cornerstone LaMelo Ball in the 2026 offseason. It ended six years of having him as the face of the franchise, but it seems the team was ready to part ways with the dynamic point guard.
This leaves the rest of the Hornets entering a new era that will be centered on maximizing Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. The former is entering his fourth NBA season, and he has only known a Hornets team that had Ball as the point guard. Now, Miller has to adjust to the new normal with him as one of the star players.
Brandon Miller reminisces about LaMelo Ball's tenure with the Hornets
Despite his lengthy tenure with the Hornets, Ball did not reach the Playoffs. It is unfortunate, but it likely played a role in the front office's decision to part ways with him. They are now focused on making the team focus on both Knueppel and Miller as the cornerstones.
It will be a challenging transition for the players because they have known Ball to be the main man for a long time. Miller will now need to embrace his new role, but he does appreciate what Ball brought to the table with his teammates.
MORE: Tracy McGrady sees Brandon Miller as the next Hornets franchise player
Of course, Ball is not the only player who left the team because Miles Bridges was the longest-tenured active player for the franchise. He was also traded, so opportunities have opened up for more players, including Miller, who is now one of the leaders.
"Definitely a tough moment, but we also have to realize the business side of the NBA. I always preach, I'll always be a brother away from home to LaMelo, Miles, Mark, even the previous guys. It keeps going," Miller said about the latest exits from the Hornets.
Moving forward, it seems that Miller is embracing his new role. He will likely thrive as a leader for this Hornets team, and he is continously improving as a player who can live up to being the first player picked after Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft.
More NBA news:
- Brandon Miller and the Hornets are running out of time to agree on an extension
- Bam Adebayo will not forget what LaMelo Ball did to injure him in the 2025-26 season
- Charles Lee loves what he is seeing from Naz Reid joining the Hornets
- Naz Reid sees Brandon Miller as an All-NBA talent in a recent Hornets interview
- Coby White's leadership has become a big part of the Hornets' 2026-27 culture