Darius Miller is staying in the Big Easy.

Miller, a Mason County and University of Kentucky grad, agreed to a two-year deal on Wednesday with the New Orleans Pelicans, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. The deal is for two years and $14.25 million, the second year is non-guaranteed.

It’s the biggest payday yet for Miller after playing in parts of five seasons for the Pelicans.

His 2018-19 season was his best one to date scoring-wise, averaging a career-high 8.2 points per game.

“I had a pretty solid year. I feel like the experience from last year helped me a lot so I was more comfortable, more experienced and felt like it showed,” Miller said during the Miller/Lofton Camp in Maysville in June.

Miller is a career 38 percent 3-point shooter and provides defensive versatility with his size at 6-foot-8.

After being drafted 46th in the 2012 NBA Draft, Miller spent his first three seasons in New Orleans, playing in 102 games before being released in his third season. Miller then headed over to Europe where he played for Brose Baskets Bamberg in the German Bundesliga.

After winning three titles with Brose Bamberg, he returned to New Orleans on a two-year deal worth over a little more than $4 million. He played in all 82 regular season games during the 2017-18 season, shooting his best percentage yet from downtown at a 41 percent clip.

The Pelicans looked to be a team on the rise, sweeping Portland in the first round of the playoffs before eventually losing to the world champion Golden State Warriors that season.

The 2008 KHSAA Mr. Basketball started 15 games for the Pelicans in 2018-19, one that was marred by injuries from the team and saw them go from 48-34 in ‘17-‘18 to 33-49 in ‘18-‘19 and a requested trade from franchise player and UK teammate Anthony Davis.

“I feel like as a team we could have had a way better year, we had a lot of nagging injuries that didn’t let us reach our full potential especially with all the things that were going on,” Miller said.

The Pelicans granted Davis his wish in June, trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and multiple first-round draft picks.

“I feel like it was a good trade for both sides honestly,” Miller said. “We’ll see how it plays out, you never know. I feel like both teams did a really good trade and helped both sides. Seeing AD grow into the person he’s becoming, the player that he became, it’s great to see him be successful. He’s a good guy, great teammate, great person…so I’m happy for him.”

Now Miller is part of the reshaping of the Pelicans roster that will have a lot of new faces on it. The trio traded from the Lakers, first-round picks Zion Williamson, Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and free agents Derrick Favors and J.J. Redick. Miller will also have one of his Brose Bamberg teammates with him in New Orleans, Nicolo Melli, who played with Miller from 2015-17 and signed a two-year deal with the Pelicans this offseason.

In terms of team accomplishment, a high school state title in 2008, an NCAA title in 2012 and three BBL titles in Germany in ‘15, ‘16 and ‘17 is quite the resume for the Miller.

With a young revamped roster and a generational talent in Zion Williamson, maybe an NBA title is on the horizon in the coming years.

Darius Miller has agreed to a two-year deal to stay with the New Orleans Pelicans, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday. (Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports)
https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_Darius-Miller-3.jpgDarius Miller has agreed to a two-year deal to stay with the New Orleans Pelicans, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday. (Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports)

Evan Dennison

[email protected]