Why the 2023 Second Overall Pick Should Move to Small Forward for the Hornets
In an era of positionless basketball, many players can play different positions successfully on the court. This season, the Charlotte Hornets may have to tweak their starting lineup just a bit to put the best five guys out on the court to give them the best chance to win. An option for them may be to move Brandon Miller to small forward. This is not due to Miller’s struggles with staying healthy or his recent play before the injury; however, it is more about the players the Hornets have acquired in the offseason. Specifically, the Hornets drafted Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The sharpshooter from Duke provides a set of skills that may require Miller to move from the starting “two” position, and he could get more scoring opportunities because of this move.
In Miller’s first two seasons of the NBA, he was responsible for helping LaMelo Ball set up the offense as the starting two guard. However, Knueppel can now fill that role, and the sharpshooter from Duke showed that he can lead the offense in the Summer League. Having Ball and Knueppel set up the offense will allow Miller, who has tremendous offensive potential, to capitalize on matchups and use his dominant frame to score in the paint and mid-range. The former Alabama guard can also make opponents pay from the three-point line. He is shooting the three-ball at a 35 percent clip. Moving Miller to the “three” position would allow space to be created for him to display his three-level scoring and could make the Hornets a very dangerous team if he bounces back from his injury.
Before his injury, Miller was averaging 21 points per game to go along with five rebounds and four assists in 27 games last season. When the 2023 draft pick comes back, fans should expect him to start slow before ramping back up to his former self. Charlotte’s offense could benefit from this change in the lineup, as it could be more explosive and scary for contenders in the Eastern Conference. NBA teams and fans already know what Ball can do on the court, and Knueppel showcased his potential in the Summer League, which Hornets fans are hoping can translate to when the regular season starts in October. Having Miller, another 20 ppg scorer, in the starting lineup would be scary for opposing teams. Making a change like this to the lineup would benefit the Hornets in the long run and should happen sooner rather than later.
