Hornets forward Brandon Miller, who missed Friday’s game vs. Chicago due to what was originally referred to as a right wrist sprain, has been diagnosed with a torn scapholunate ligament after undergoing an MRI, the team announced in a press release.
The Hornets didn’t provide a recovery timeline for Miller, simply ruling him out indefinitely.
While each case is different, this injury typically requires surgery and results in a layoff that’s measured in months rather than days or weeks. Kenrich Williams, Khris Middleton, T.J. McConnell, Bradley Beal, and Jaylen Brown are among the players who have gone under the knife to have a torn scapholunate ligament repaired in recent years.
It’s a disappointing turn of events for the No. 2 overall pick from the 2023 draft, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting last season and was having a solid sophomore campaign in 2024/25. Through 27 games (all starts), Miller has averaged 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 34.2 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .403/.355/.861.
The timing is especially unfortunate for the Hornets, who had just recently gotten their top four scorers – Miller, LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams – healthy together for the first time all season. Entering Friday, the quartet had starting four consecutive games together alongside Josh Green. The Hornets went 2-2 in those contests, with its starting five posting a +14.5 net rating.
Nick Smith Jr. started in Miller’s place on Friday and had a good night, with 15 points in 26 minutes in a win over Chicago, so he’ll likely get another opportunity in that role. Seth Curry, who has earned a few starts this season when Miller was unavailable, returned to the rotation for the first time in two weeks on Friday and also figures to play an increased role going forward.