Brandon Miller felt right groin soreness in the second quarter of Friday’s game against Boston and did not return Hornets declared (via Twitter).
It’s a disappointment for Miller, who has dealt with numerous injuries in his young career. The fourth-year small forward has missed most of the 2024/25 season ligament rupture in the right wrist, which was required season-ending surgeryand missed time early last season after partially dislocate the left shoulder is him underwent surgery solve this problem in May.
The second overall pick in the 2023 draft, Miller signed a five-year extension of entry scale from Charlotte last month, a contract worth $208.8 million. Through nine games this fall, Miller is averaging 22.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 32.9 minutes per game, though he has committed more turnovers (2.6 per game) than assists (2.3) and has struggled to be efficient offensively, shooting .359/.267/.861 entering Friday.
Part of the reason for these failed shoots is that Charlotte has been downsized this fall, with Kobe White (left calf strain) will not make his season debut until Monday and Mog Knueppel (left hamstring strain) suitable for the first time on Wednesday. Knueppel was eliminated from that contest after just six minutes and received a different diagnosis left hamstring strain.
Head coach Charles Lee provided a little background on Knueppel ahead of Friday’s contest, according to Rod Boone (Link to Twitter). Lee said the team is still in the information-gathering phase and “it’s going to take some time” to gauge how long Knueppel might be sidelined. Boone adds that Lee declined to say whether Knueppel had a daily or weekly injury.
In addition, Grant Williams still build up his activity after straining his right hamstring during an offseason workout and Charlotte downgraded Moussa Diabate (right quadriceps tendinopathy) and Dennis Schroeder (left hip soreness) from questionable to out before Friday’s game (Link to Twitter). Ryan Kalkbrenner and Grayson Allen entered the starting line-up, while Diabate and Knuppel/Schroder dropped out.
The Hornets beat the Celtics on Friday, dropping their sixth straight game. They are now 3-7 after surprisingly winning three of their first four games to open the season.
