Brandon Miller is day-to-day with a left shoulder issue as he continues rehab from surgery, according to the Hornets' injury report. He is not ruled out for the season, with an expected return date of Oct. 1, five days before Charlotte hosts the Nets in the opener.
What happened
Miller is listed day-to-day with a left shoulder issue, per the Hornets' injury report issued Sunday, Sept. 6. His previous designation is not announced. The update comes after Miller discussed his rehab from shoulder surgery in comments to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday. The report projects an expected return date of Oct. 1, ahead of Charlotte's regular-season opener.
What it means for the Hornets
Charlotte opens the 2026-27 season Tuesday, Oct. 6 at home against the Nets. Last season Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 30.3 minutes across 65 games, and his shoulder is the swing factor for whether he is available for that opener. If he is out, the Hornets have leaned on Kon Knueppel (31.5 minutes, 18.5 points), Miles Bridges (31.0 minutes, 17.1 points) and LaMelo Ball (28.0 minutes, 20.1 points) to fill the load, with Moussa Diabaté, Sion James, Collin Sexton, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Grant Williams also in the rotation. The 2026-27 season has not started, so there is no record with or without him yet.
What to watch
The Hornets are expected to update Miller's status on their next injury report as the preseason winds down. His target return date is Oct. 1, which would put him back in time for the regular-season opener against the Nets on Oct. 6. Also on the latest report, forward PJ Hall is day-to-day with a right ankle issue. Charlotte's next several updates should clarify whether Miller opens the season at full strength.
Is Brandon Miller playing vs Nets?
Miller has not been ruled out. He is day-to-day with a left shoulder issue, and the injury report projects an Oct. 1 return, several days before Charlotte hosts the Nets on Oct. 6, but his status for that specific game is not yet announced.
When will Brandon Miller be back?
The injury report lists an expected return date of Oct. 1, 2026, as he rehabs from shoulder surgery.