Hornets Announce Brandon Miller-Less Starting Five Against Nets

The Charlotte Hornets had already suffered their fair share of injuries heading into tonight's game. Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams, Coby White, and Kylan Boswell were all listed on the injury report and are likely to miss all of preseason.

Just minutes before tipoff, two more names joined that list: Brandon Miller (Shin Contusion) and Christian Anderson Jr. (L Ankle Sprain). Both are considered day-to-day, according to the Hornets' official press release.

The Hornets first five:

G Dennis Schröder - The German veteran floor general could see a lot of run tonight, with everyone else at the point guard position seemingly wiped out. It will also be Schröder's first game in a Hornets jersey since arriving in the Tre Mann Trade!

G Grayson Allen - Another newcomer, Grayson Allen played with the Phoenix Suns last season. Usually a premier marksman, the former Blue Devil's three-point percentage dropped a bit. Nevertheless, he started 27 games on what would eventually be a playoff team.

F Liam McNeeley - It's a big-time chance for Summer League standout Liam McNeeley! Apart from Naz Reid, all of Charlotte's high-volume scorers are in street clothes. Look out for how much McNeeley will be involved in the Hornets' offense.

F Naz Reid - The THIRD newbie in this Hornets starting lineup. As the only player returning in the LaMelo Ball trade, there's immediate pressure on Reid to perform. He'll have his hands full defensively with Julius Randle, but should be able to exploit that matchup offensively.

C Moussa Diabaté - The only player who also started in the Hornets' decisive play-in loss against the Magic, Moussa Diabaté is sure to bring what he always brings: Incredible Rebounding, alongside great energy.

The Nets first five:

G Egor Dëmin - Out of Brooklyn's many young guards, he is by far the most intiguing one. His rookie season saw a lot of struggles, especially defensively and at the rim, but he showed out as a shooter, connecting on 38.5 percent of his threes.

G Keon Ellis - Ellis was traded to the Cavaliers in the midst of the 25-26 season alongside Dennis Schröder, but made almost no on-court impact. Renowned for his defensive ability, Ellis' anemic offense has held him back up to this point in his career.

F Michael Porter Jr. - Porter Jr. has quietly had a very good NBA career. He is an NBA champion, got to play alongside and profit off of one of the league's best players, and then went on to Brooklyn, where he is now the first option. He'll be at the top of Charles Lee's scouting report.

F Julius Randle - Often critiqued, Julius Randle's offensive ability is undeniable. But oftentimes it comes at the cost of his teammates seeing the ball once every five minutes. His matchup with Naz Reid should be fun; the two know each other from their time in Minnesota.

C Day'Ron Sharpe - This is where you could have pencilled in Nic Claxton for what feels like forever, but the long-tenured Net is now playing in Chicago. So the starting shout goes to the man who backed him up for a lot of those years.

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