After a few years of wondering if he'll ever be traded, it seems as if the Hornets are ready to move on from it's longest-tenured player.
Time may be running out for Miles Bridges’ stay in Charlotte.
Bridges, who is currently the longest tenured Hornet, has been the topic of trade discussions for the better part of three seasons. Last season, there was a significant interest in Bridges on the trade market prior to the Trade Deadline, until the Hornets pulled back.
NBA reporter at ClutchPoints, Brett Siegel reported earlier on Monday that Bridges, who’s entering the final season of his contract, is expected to be dealt this summer.
“Bridges is entering the final year of his contract at $22.8 million, and there is a growing belief among league personnel that he will be traded this summer,” Siegel writes. “That speculation will only rise if the Hornets make two selections with the No. 14 and No. 18 picks, one of which will very likely be a forward, which would likely be a long-term replacement for the 28-year-old.”
It gets increasingly more interesting when mapping out Bridges’ trade value, especially after the recent news coming out of Dallas.
The Dallas Mavericks managed to sway University of Michigan head coach Dusty May away from Ann Arbor, immediately after winning a National Championship.
And there’s reason to believe that the Mavs, who have the ninth overall pick, and the 30th, are looking to use that second pick to sneak back into the top-20, with Bridges being an intriguing trade piece.
Siegel then speculates that after Dallas hired May, it may be eyeing May’s former center, Aday Mara, who he had won a championship with.
Because of that interest in Mara, as well as Bridges’ availability, the Mavericks are dangling center Daniel Gafford – a player that fits the mold of Charlotte’s needs.
He has two years remaining on his four year contract, and provides length and high-end rim protection. Acquiring Gafford would also allow Moussa Diabate to move to the power forward position.
While Diabate thrived at center for Charlotte last season, his 6-foot-10, 210 pound frame is good enough to play small-ball, but is unsustainable for a full season.
The Hornets had played small ball for the majority of the season, playing Bridges at power forward. And while they were relatively solid at defending the paint, Bridges is not a long-term answer at PF, as his skills align more with a small forward.
There are a lot of moving parts for the Hornets, but this could mark the end of Bridges donning the teal and purple, which may end up being beneficial to both parties.
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