Days before the start of the Hornets‘ 2026-27 season, their top star has been locked in for the long term.
Brandon Miller agreed to a five-year extension with Charlotte ahead of Monday’s deadline, per ESPN.
The 24-year-old, after averaging a career-best 20.2 points per game last season, appears set to star alongside Kon Knueppel on the wing for the Hornets for years to come, securing a massive contract that beats out most of his 2023 draftee counterparts.
Here’s a look at how Miller’s extension compares to others extended from the 2023 NBA Draft class.
How Brandon Miller’s extension compares to others in 2023 NBA Draft class
Miller received a five-year, $209 million rookie-scale extension from the Hornets, per ESPN. His AAV of $41.8 million will make him the No. 36 highest-paid player in the league by 2027-28, when the contract kicks in, per Spotrac. That figure surpasses Amen Thompson and trails OG Anunoby.
Interestingly, Miller’s $209 million extension came in just $1 million higher than Thompson, a fellow member of the 2023 draft class who signed a five-year, $208 million extension with the Rockets earlier this offseason.
Miller’s deal came in as the second-highest valuation of any member of the 2023 rookie extensions so far. It only trailed Victor Wembanyama’s $252 million over five years.
First-rounders from the 2023 NBA Draft were eligible to sign a rookie extension with their franchise until Monday’s deadline. Seven of them did so, including Miller, Wembanyama and Thompson.
Here’s how the seven rookie-scale extensions from 2023 draftees look:
| Player | Team | Draft Slot | Extension | 2025-26 Stats |
| Victor Wembanyama | Spurs | No. 1 | 5 years, $252 million | 25.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 3.1 APG |
| Brandon Miller | Hornets | No. 2 | 5 years, $209 million | 20.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.3 APG |
| Amen Thompson | Rockets | No. 4 | 5 years, $208 million | 18.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 5.3 APG |
| Ausar Thompson | Pistons | No. 5 | 5 years, $155 million | 9.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.1 APG |
| Cason Wallace | Thunder | No. 10 | 5 years, $139 million | 8.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.6 APG |
| Keyonte George | Jazz | No. 16 | 5 years, $157.5 million | 23.6 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.1 APG |
| Brandin Podziemski | Warriors | No. 19 | 5 years, $110 million | 13.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.7 APG |
Miller came in at No. 2 in his class for the extensions, now set to lead the Hornets this season as they begin with their season-opener on Wednesday against the Nets.
