Brandon Miller is already doing veteran things and the Hornets are loving it

Mention the weeklong gap in between games and Brandon Miller smirks.

“Yeah, it wasn’t a break,” the Charlotte Hornets rookie said. “Straight to work, straight to work. Welcome to the NBA, I guess. Welcome to the NBA.”

Such is life when you’re a rising star in the literal and figurative sense. If things continue at the current pace, Miller won’t have much of an opportunity to jet off to a tropical locale and dip his toes in the sand during the middle of February.

The obligations on Miller’s plate during the NBA’s All-Star weekend led directly into the Hornets’ road trip out west, which hit its third stop — and state — in four days Sunday night. He was in the starting lineup as usual for the Hornets, keying them in his typical fashion during Charlotte’s impressive 93-80 victory over Portland at Moda Center.

In this rookie season, Miller has exuded several qualities that knocked the Hornets over during the interview process last spring, when they were deciding which player to draft second overall. The distinctive characteristics the 6-foot-8 smooth swingman possess had the Hornets salivating over him, giving Miller the nod over Scoot Henderson, who missed Sunday’s game with a strained left adductor, shelving any possibility the two would get matched up on each other.

Of the many Miller advantages, one sticks out the most: adaptability. Just look at his efficiency despite lacking the gaudy eye-popping nightly stats recently.

Scoring-wise, Miller’s numbers have dipped of late. He netted his season scoring average of 16.5 points only once in his previous five outings before posting 17 against Portland, which is a departure from the torrid stretch he was on at the tail end of January that solidified his nod for Eastern Conference rookie of the month.

But in true form, Miller is still finding ways to affect the game besides putting the ball in the basket. His rebounds, assists, free throw attempts and 3-point percentage actually increased slightly during his mild scoring ‘slump.’ If nothing else, he was more efficient in those other areas, focusing deeper on doing things besides shooting.

“He’s handled everything so far extremely well,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “I think after the first 24, 25 games., we had so many injuries his role increased right away from coming off the bench. I think he was playing like 24 minutes, too. He’s had games where he’s played 38 minutes and he had to be on the floor for us to be competitive, and he had a little dip there in five or six.

“But I think when we made trades, he just accepted the challenge and he’s played better and better,” Clifford said. “He works and the game comes very naturally to him. He learns quickly, he doesn’t need a lot of reps. When you watch film, he’s one of the guys that pays the most closest attention. He asks questions. You work with him on something, he can do it pretty quickly. He’s a talented guy.”

Miller’s increased comfort level within the Hornets’ system is apparent, although some of the slightest indicators may slip through to the untrained eye. During one sequence against Portland, as the Hornets were running a play drawn up by Clifford during a timeout, Miller quietly pointed out to Grant Williams where to slide, ensuring the forward would be in the right position for the set to have a better chance at success.

It’s not often a first-year player gets to show someone who’s been in the league longer than him an instruction or two. That’s Miller, though.

He’s built differently and the evidence grows daily.

“It’s rare to have a rookie that is not only willing to listen,” Williams said, “but is also willing to teach, be vocal, speak up. He has the ability to do a lot of special things in this league both on and off the floor. And it’s really special, to witness just from the young age that he is and how mature he is. And as he continues to grow how he’ll be a great teammate to everybody around him in this locker room.”

He accepts it all, fully embracing the role.

“I think that’s being a young leader, having new guys like that,” Miller said. “It’s hard for them to come in and Day One pick up all the plays. I think just being a young leader that I am and directing everybody, getting everybody in the right spot, I think that can go a long way in 82 games.”

Getting through the remainder of the season unscathed would help matters as well. With the playoffs an all but a longshot, developing in other facets is going to spur his growth and propel him.

Clifford mentioned how the opposition is blitzing the Hornets’ pick-and-rolls featuring Miller, sending a second defender to disrupt the play. It’s clogging Miller’s space and forcing him to make decisions — educational ones that could have serious implications.

Processing the floor quicker will be a necessity for Miller to take that next-level leap.

“And I think it’s good for him because he’s going to be a primary scorer,” Clifford said. “Those guys aren’t as good at it at an early age. You have to have aspects of your game. The great ones … if you were going to blitz a guy like Kobe, he was going to try to get down the floor quickly, score before you could, do that or whatever.

“And that’s the stuff that Brandon, playing with a team that we’ve had this year and have now, where he’s going to get that. It’s a good time for him to start thinking about pick-and-roll game. And again, one of the things about him — and this is just talent — he doesn’t need a lot of reps. You can show him something in the morning, he can go out and do it in the afternoon. And that’s what the great ones do. They work hard and all that also. The game’s a lot easier for them. And the game is very easy for him. He’s very smart and he competes naturally.”

And the 21-year-old is only getting started.

“He’s a pro, not just from the work that he provides and the talent that he is,” Williams said, “but he has a pro knowledge. He does a good job using his size, has ability to get to open spot on the court and he’s also willing to learn. And also part of that is willing to teach.

“He’s a person that has been very helpful, just helping all the new guys step in and have a good understanding of what’s going on. He’s huge for us and he’s going to continue to be that, hopefully, for the next 20 years in Charlotte.”