Charlotte Hornets: The Good and Bad from the Returning Core
Miles Bridges
The Good
Bridges is a prime example of the danger in taking a small sample of preseason games for a third-year player and declaring him a MIP candidate. He showed the same ability to score for stretches of games last year, but was inconsistent overall, logging single-digit scoring games in 20/65 (31%) contests as a starter.
However, he did come out aggressive and sure with the ball in his hands on this preseason’s bench unit. In a starting role last year, Bridges’ efficiency took a major hit from year one as the go-to scoring option from the wing and a player forced to take many tough jumpers late in the shot clock, which just isn’t the game he wants to play. He also turned the ball over at a higher rate.
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Through 4 preseason games this year, not only is his per 36 minute scoring total higher (18.7 to 15.2 last season), he’s making smarter and safer passes. In 10 fewer minutes per game, his raw assist numbers (2.7) and assist/turnover ratio (4/3) are both better. As far as the eye test goes, he’s scanning the floor on drives and keeping his head on a swivel more consistently before committing to the rim, which is a sign of a maturing offensive player.
His 61.3 FG% will surely come back down to earth and affect his scoring numbers, and he’s still isn’t blowing anyone away from 3 even in a small sample size (4/11, 36.4%). However, paired with a creative playmaker like Lamelo Ball, who can (predictably) leverage his strength and leaping ability for easy offense against second units, look for Miles to be a more efficient and complete offensive player from the wing in 2020-21, and possibly get an invite to this season’s dunk contest.
Time will tell if his preseason production is fool’s gold. His improvement isn’t likely to reach MIP-level, but playing against bench units or as a tertiary scoring option next to Gordon Hayward, Devonte Graham, and Terry Rozier will be a more suitable role for Bridges this season.
The Bad
Maybe Miles’ defense wouldn’t be so disappointing if he just didn’t have the physical tools to compete. With a strong, explosive body, one would think he could at least be like a nimbler Aaron Gordon. When he can stay in front of his man, he’s an impassable wall.
He just hasn’t developed the instincts of a good defender yet: he overcommits on the perimeter; he relies too much on his leaping ability instead of good positioning to defend shots at the rim; he gets tunnel vision on his man assignment.
Bridges often gets lost off-ball once players start moving quickly. To be fair, I did see signs of improvement in this regard—he’s quicker at locating the open man and contesting his shot than last year even if he misses his rotation too often.
Against Toronto, however, he got absolutely squashed by a good screener in Aron Baynes like there was a spider on his sternum, to the point a shot was often already up before he detached himself. That’s not something that can happen to a player who wants to be considered a good point-of-attack defender.