It’s easy to lump Jordan Miller into the Clippers’ corps of young players. The 6-foot-2 guard hangs out with them, doesn’t look much older than the rookies and possesses the same determination to make an impact on the Clippers.
But Miller isn’t a kid. He’s about to turn 26 years old, has been in the league for three seasons and played 62 games at the NBA level. Miller might not have much game experience, but it’s clear to him that he deserves a permanent spot in Coach Tyronn Lue’s rotation.
Instead, Miller is stuck on a two-way contract on a roster full of All-Stars, Hall of Famers and veterans.
“It’s a little tough at first, you know what I’m saying? Because it’s like, where do I fit in the puzzle?” Miller said. “It sounds simple, right? Come in, do what you do, but playing with guys like James (Harden) and Kawhi (Leonard) is not so simple. They’re ball dominant and I mean, they deserve to (have the ball) because they are potential Hall of Famers, if not Hall of Famers.
“So, just coming in and finding your spot and now going out and proving, producing. And if you don’t produce, you’re going to be right back on the bench.”
With that mindset, Miller is making sure others take notice of his game this season. He scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including two 3-pointers, off the bench in the Clippers’ 117-109 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday and will be looking to add to his resume on Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards.
It was the second time in the past three games that he scored in double figures – he had 21 points and five rebounds against the Brooklyn Nets last week, one shy of his career-high point total. He scored 22 in a loss to the Denver Nuggets in November.
“We’ve always believed in him” Lue said. “He would have played earlier this year, but with a lot of injuries, he didn’t get the opportunity.”
Miller was in and out of the lineup early in the season because of nagging hamstring soreness, setting his game back. But with veteran guard Bogdan Bogdanovic sidelined, Miller is getting extra court time. Over the last three games, he is averaging 12 points on 56.5% shooting from the field and 55.6% (5 for 9) from 3-point range, plus 5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.3 minutes.
“I’m just finding ways to find my spots, be aggressive first most and foremost and just let the game kind of come to me,” Miller said.
Leonard said Miller is playing with confidence.
“He played aggressively in his minutes,” Leonard said. “That’s what you need to do on the court (as a young player). Play very confidently. He got open, got to the hole, made some layups, made some 3’s. Did a great job.”
Harden said Miller has done an “unbelievable job of just being ready. He’s dealt with some injuries early in the season, but making shots, he’s getting to the basket, defensively he’s been solid. That’s the work that he’s put in, the detail that he’s paid attention to. It’s definitely helped him.”
Whether Miller’s latest numbers will help him secure a standard contract remains to be seen. After impressive performances in the G League and Summer League, the Clippers signed the second-round draft pick to a four-year, $8.3 million contract on March 1, 2025. The deal included more than $1 million for the last six weeks of the season.
Miller appeared in 37 games last season, averaging 4.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. Five months later, he was waived.
Instead of pursuing an opportunity with another team, Miller agreed to stay with the Clippers on a two-way contract. He said the specter of earning another standard deal isn’t something he is worried about.
“I know what I’m capable of,” Millers said. “I played Summer League twice, got first-team honors, so it’s just like going out there and showing everybody like, ‘I belong here now.’ That’s really the theme of the year this year. It’s just like, show everybody you belong.”
WIZARDS AT CLIPPERS
When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood
TV/radio: FDSN SoCal/570 AM, 1330 AM (Spanish)
