Should Hornets fans be concerned about Brandon Miller's shooting splits?

Through the first ten games of Brandon Miller's second NBA season, he averaged 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, shooting 38.6% from the floor, and 33% from three.

Through the first ten games of Brandon Miller's third NBA season, he's averaging 17.4 points, 3.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds, is shooting 36.4% from the floor, and 30.9% from deep.

The start to Brandon Miller's third season, while mixed with a left shoulder injury that has held him out over half the season, has been disappointing.

In his rookie season, the former second overall pick showed promise of being a potential future star. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, behind stars Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, and looked like the running mate for LaMelo Ball that Charlotte Hornets fans had been waiting for.

Brandon's second season ended in disappointment, as a wrist injury in January resulted in him missing the entire rest of the season, just as his play started to pick up. In the 17 games prior to the injury, the former Alabama star was averaging 23.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and while his efficiency still was not elite, a leap looked like it was in place.

For wings, the third season is typically where the leap happens. Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Pascal Siakam, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Johnson, and several others all saw their trajectory take an upward turn during their third season as a pro.

So, as Brandon Miller sits with numbers similar to his rookie season while putting up terrible shooting splits, is it time for concern for someone who should be viewed as the future of the Hornets franchise?

The short answer is no.

Ten games tell you almost nothing about a player's true identity. He's taken 165 total shots this season, with 81 of them being three-pointers. With players who rely on their jumpshots, cold nights happen. With a ten-game sample size, cold nights can swing percentages by 6-8 points.

Take just last season as an example. After his cold stretch over the first 10 games, things leveled out for Miller, and he got his field goal and three-point percentage to begin to come back up. Had he never sustained the wrist injury, chances are he could have finished the season around 45-47% from the field and 38-39% from three.

Last season should be the indicator not to be worried, and the shoulder injury could easily be affecting his shooting at the moment.

Brandon's confidence still has not wavered. If he were passing up on shots, or getting worse looks, then the worrying should start. He's doing the opposite, and water will find it's level soon.

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