Brandon

Miller

The Hornets have nothing to play for beyond improving their draft lottery odds, which means Miller and Bridges are out. The second-overall pick in last summer’s draft, Miller’s production improved noticeably once he entered the starting lineup. The rookie provided 10th-round per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats for the season but was a top-75 player over the last three months. As for Bridges, his preseason ADP sunk like a stone due to legal issues and a 10-game suspension to begin the season. Once on the court, he provided solid fantasy value, finishing as a 5th-round player in 8- and 9-cat formats. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Bridges and Miller were absent from the initial report released by the Hornets. However, there isn’t much to be gained from either playing against the Cavaliers, as Charlotte is returning to the draft lottery regardless of the game’s outcome. Nick Smith Jr., Tre Mann, and Vasilije Micic aren’t on the injury report, with the first two likely shouldering a significant workload on Sunday (Micic only played 16 minutes on Friday).

Miller has had an excellent rookie season, and he is making sure to close it out with a bang. Over the past week, he has provided second round value in 9-cat leagues with averages of 23.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 3.8 triples while shooting 51.7% from the floor and 94.7% from the free throw line. Managers shouldn’t expect him to produce to this level next season, but he should end up being drafted in the middle rounds. He’ll look to keep it going in Boston on Friday before they end the season in Cleveland on Sunday.

Miller followed up an elite performance against the Magic with an off-night against the Thunder. That’s the way things go for rookies, but he was able to get back on track in this game. Miller has really figured things out lately, and he ranks inside the top-50 in 9-cat scoring over the past two weeks. His rookie year is coming to a close, and it’s clear that he will be drafted much early in fantasy drafts next season. He’ll look to keep it going in Atlanta on Wednesday, which is the second night of a back-to-back.

Miller had it rolling on Friday, scoring 26 first-half points on 10-of-10 shooting from the field. The Magic did a better job of defending the rookie in the second half, but by then, the damage was done as Charlotte held on for the upset. Over the past two weeks, Miller has provided 7th-round per-game value in 9-cat formats, playing well at the right time for fantasy managers looking to lock down league championships. Charlotte ends Week 23 with a home game against the Thunder on Sunday.

While Miller has not missed time due to his injury, Bridges sat out Wednesday’s loss to the Trail Blazers. His return means Davis Bertans will head back to the bench, where he does not offer much fantasy value. Outside of extremely deep leagues, there’s no need to roster Bertans.

Bridges was sidelined for their last game, but their top two options over the past few months should be available. Davis Bertans and JT Thor will likely both be pushed back to the bench with Bridges and Vasilije Micic back.

Miller’s issue on Wednesday was the 3-point line, as he only made one of his eight attempts on the night. But that didn’t put too big of a dent in his recent work from beyond the arc, with Miller shooting 37.1% from deep over the past two weeks (3.3 3-pointers per game). During this stretch, he’s ranked a few spots outside the top 100 in 8- and 9-cat formats. Provided he remains healthy, Miller will be a productive option for fantasy managers for the rest of Week 23. However, Charlotte’s final two games won’t be easy, as the Magic (Friday) and Thunder (Sunday) visit the Queen City.

Both players were upgraded to probable earlier in the day, and now they have officially been cleared. They both will continue to start and take on larger roles with Miles Bridges and Vasilije Micic sidelined.

Williams hasn’t missed a game since arriving in Charlotte, and it looks like his streak of availability will be extended. Miller hasn’t missed a game since March 1, and both players should be in line for sizeable roles against Portland. Vasilije Micic (shoulder) and Nick Richards (foot) are both out, and Miles Bridges (ankle) is doubtful, opening up additional opportunities for Williams and Miller.