What happened to Brandon Miller? Closer look at Hornets $49,378,426 forward's season-ending injury

The Charlotte Hornets will have to play the rest of the season without their second-best scorer after Brandon Miller's injury. The Hornets announced on Thursday that Miller underwent surgery on his injured right wrist after suffering from a torn scaphulonate ligament.

The injury was initially announced last Friday and it was also reported that Brandon Miller sustained the injury against the Utah Jazz during their Jan. 15 contest. Miller has already missed three straight games and was expected to miss time indefinitely before this announcement.

The Hornets went 2-1 in the three games that Miller missed, starting with two straight wins against the Chicago Bulls on Friday and then the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.

Brandon Miller was taken second overall by Charlotte in the 2023 NBA Draft. He was later signed to a four-year rookie contract worth $49,378,426 (via Spotrac). Like other rookie deals, the last two years of Miller's deal carry a team option.

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How has Brandon Miller performed for the Charlotte Hornets this season?

Aside from LaMelo Ball's All-Star caliber performance this season, Brandon Miller's continued improvement can be seen as a bright spot for the Charlotte Hornets.

The second-year wingman averaged 21.0 points on 40.3/35.5/86.1 percent splits. Aside from scoring, he also put up 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals.

Fans have already seen how the Hornets perform without Miller on the lineup. Before he missed the last three games, the second-year wing had already missed 10 other games.

His first stretch of absences happened early in the season, from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1, when he suffered a hip injury. He missed four games during that period and the Hornets went 1-3.

Brandon Miller's subsequent absence was due to an ankle injury. He missed three consecutive games from Dec. 19 to 23, and the Hornets lost all three. Although he returned for a game on Dec. 26, he then sat out the following three games and Charlotte lost all three again.

In his absence, Josh Okogie and Cody Martin will likely see an increase in minutes. Martin has suited up for 38 contests for Charlotte this season and started seven.

Meanwhile, Okogie has only played in two games since being traded to Charlotte from the Phoenix Suns. The Hornets acquired Josh Okogie and three second-round picks in exchange for Nick Richards and a second-round pick.