Brandon Miller injury update: Charlotte Hornets star set to miss Wizards contest with shoulder ailment

The hits keep coming for Brandon Miller.

After re-announcing himself to the NBA world at-large with a 25 point, seven assist performance in an opening night victory against the Brooklyn Nets, Miller exited Saturday's contest in Philadelphia with what the team called 'shoulder soreness.'

INJURY UPDATE: @hornets G Brandon Miller left the game in the first half in Philadelphia with left shoulder soreness. He will not return to tonight’s game.
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) October 26, 2025

With the Charlotte Hornets set to take on the Washington Wizards in D.C on the second night of a back-to-back, the team announced a minor update on Miller's status.

Miller has been listed as OUT with shoulder soreness.

INJURY REPORT: @hornets at WAS 10/26
Brandon Miller (L Shoulder Soreness), Josh Green (L Shoulder Surgery) and Grant Williams (R Knee Surgery) are out
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) October 26, 2025

Where does Charlotte go from here?

Before we discuss the short-term implications for the Hornets, it needs to be discussed how much this stinks for Miller himself.

The third-year forward missed the second half of last season after suffering an injury to his shooting wrist in January. He attacked his rehabilitation with vigor, coming back to the court well within the expected timeframe with a renewed verve for the game. Miller has been a high-usage option for the Hornets early in the season, and now Charlotte will have to re-learn life without Miller when he sits out tonight's contest.

The expected like-for-like insertion into Charlotte's lineup is rookie forward Liam McNeeley who hasn't made his NBA debut quite yet. At this point I'm assuming that both Kon Knueppel and Collin Sexton will start in Miller's absence (making those preseason debates look silly in hindsight) and McNeeley will slide into the rotation off the bench.

Charlotte can be expected to pick up Miller's offensive production by committee, but they're going to miss his impact on defense. He's guarded opposing primary options with mixed results early in his career, but his pterodactyl wingspan and activity on the defensive end of the floor have been impactful for a Hornets squad that lacks defensive difference-makers. Expect to see even more of Sion James tonight and moving forward.

Stay tuned to Hornets on SI if and when any long-term update on Brandon Miller's shoulder drops. Tonight's Hornets vs. Wizards game can be seen on the FanDuel Sports Network at 6 P.M. EST. Charlotte looks to bounce back after getting swept by the Wizards in the 2024-25 NBA regular season.

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