Charlotte Hornets' Brandon Miller Expected Out Indefinitely After Shoulder Injury Amid Team Depth Challenges

Charlotte Hornets star forward Brandon Miller suffered a left shoulder subluxation, forcing him to leave a game against the Philadelphia 76ers and likely sidelining him for at least a couple of weeks. Despite Miller's injury, the Hornets have depth and versatile players like Collin Sexton, LaMelo Ball, and rookie Kon Knueppel to help absorb the impact and maintain competitive play in a relatively weak Eastern Conference. The team has started the 2025-26 season with a 2-1 record but faces several injuries and absences, including Josh Green and Grant Williams due to surgeries, and others on two-way assignments, which challenges their early season momentum. Head coach Charles Lee initially downplayed Miller's injury but acknowledged the need for further evaluation, while the team is hopeful to manage through the setback without significant drop-off. The Hornets have struggled significantly in Miller's absence in previous seasons, underscoring his importance to the team's performance and playoff aspirations. Additionally, the team has shown resilience but continues to work on issues like late-game execution and offensive consistency to convert leads into wins.