The Charlotte Hornets could make a somewhat surprising decision on Miles Bridges.
The Charlotte Hornets just missed out on the NBA playoffs, ultimately bowing out in the play-in tournament. But there is no shortage of positive takeaways for the Hornets heading into the offseason.
The Hornets were one of the best teams in the league during the second half of the year, and things only seem to be pointing up from here.
Charlotte has an enviable young nucleus consisting of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, a wealth of future draft capital and some impressive financial flexibility.
Of course, all of that extra money could dry up pretty quickly if the Hornets start re-signing their own players.
Coby White is headed toward free agency, and the general consensus is that the trade deadline acquisition will remain in Charlotte. Miller is up for an extension this summer, and then there is Miles Bridges, who is preparing to enter the final year of his contract.
While some view Bridges as a potential trade candidate, ESPN's Bobby Marks wonders if the Hornets might consider extending the 28-year-old.
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges. Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images."Bridges is on an expiring $22.9 million salary and is eligible to extend for four years, $114.2 million," Marks wrote. "Since the All-Star break, Bridges' scoring has decreased from 18.1 to 15 points per game but on better efficiency. In those 24 games, Bridges shot 49.1% from the field and 35.0% from 3."
On the 2025-26 campaign as a whole, Bridges averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists over 31 minutes per game on 46.0/33.3/82.2 shooting splits. His scoring average was actually his lowest mark since 2020-21, but that was to be expected with all of the offensive firepower Charlotte now possesses.
Plus, Bridges logged a career-high .130 win shares per 48 minutes, and he posted a respectable true-shooting percentage of 57 percent, his best mark in four years.
The former first-round pick also brings terrific defensive utility. While he isn't a First-Team All-NBA defender by any stretch, his size, toughness and athleticism allow him to guard multiple positions effectively.
There is no question that Bridges was a very valuable member of the Hornets' surge this past season, and if Charlotte is planning on making a championship run at some point in the near future, it may want to consider retaining Bridges long term.
That being said, given the money that it would take to extend Miller and, eventually, Knueppel, the Hornets might actually be better off moving Bridges in exchange for some more draft capital.
Hornets Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Hornets. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.