Brandon Miller admits it is tough to see LaMelo Ball getting traded away from the Hornets
Brandon Miller admits it is tough to see LaMelo Ball getting traded away from the Hornets originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
During the 2025-26 season, the Charlotte Hornets found their form and became one of the best teams in the league during the second half of the campaign. Unfortunately, that was not enough for them to reach the Playoffs because their first-half performance dragged them down.
LaMelo Ball was instrumental in that rise because he was playing as an elite playmaker for the Hornets. He was the go-to guy, but it seems the Hornets realized that Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel were also performing well enough for the franchise. That led to the Ball trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and a further commitment to Miller and Knueppel.
Brandon Miller laments LaMelo Ball’s exit to Minnesota
In the 2025-26 season, Ball was one of the longest-tenured players on the Hornets, just behind Miles Bridges. The Hornets have fully committed to their new future as they traded both of their veteran players. Now, Ball is excited to be playing with Anthony Edwards on the Timberwolves.
It can be a win-win trade for both teams because it shows that the Hornets have a clear direction moving forward. However, it is quite sad for the players and fans who loved Ball as their star player.
MORE: The Hornets’ front office believes they are the winners of the LaMelo Ball trade
Miller is entering his fourth NBA season, and this will be the first without Ball on the same team. He was close to LaMelo, so it is not surprising that he feels a bit sad that they are not teammates anymore, but that is the NBA, and player movement is a constant.
“It’s tough, man. You know, it’s tough going through, you know, the trade deadline this time. You know, seeing your brother’s day ones gone, you know, it hurts, but I think we all know the NBA game. And I know he will be great in Minnesota. And what they have going on there,” Miller said about Ball on The Road Trippin’ Show.
Miller does not have any bad blood towards Ball, which is why he is excited to see him grow in Minnesota. It will be a new era for both players, but it seems Miller is ready to be the star player alongside Knueppel on the new-look Hornets.
More NBA news:
- Kon Knueppel speaks about LaMelo Ball’s exit and how he felt about it
- Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball will encounter some ups and downs in the NBA
- Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are already getting their chemistry stronger
- How LaMelo Ball feels about the trade from the Hornets to the Timberwolves
- The full details of Minnesota’s trade for LaMelo Ball
