3 Teams that could steal Miles Bridges from the Hornets in 2024
By Adam Taylor
After receiving minimal interest on the free agent market, Miles Bridges accepted his qualifying offer from the Charlotte Hornets, making him an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024. After missing the entire 2022-23 NBA season due to legal issues, Bridges will head into the new season hoping to rebuild his value around the league.
Regardless of what happens in the coming months, Bridges will enter the 2024 free agency period expecting to receive a significant pay rise on the $7.9 million he’s set to earn this season. Whether the Hornets will be the team to sanction that pay rise will remain to be seen. However, Bridges has a fearsome partnership with LaMelo Ball and will likely develop on-court chemistry with Brandon Miller throughout the season, too.
When available for selection, Bridges raises the Hornet’s ceiling and, at 25 years old, still has room to improve his game. As such, it’s understandable if you deem Bridges to be an important part of the Hornet’s core. The problem is that other teams around the NBA will likely believe Bridges could be part of their core, too. Or that the Michigan State product could be the missing piece to a puzzle that sees another team become a contender.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at three teams who could potentially try to steal Bridges away from the Charlotte Hornets.
1. The Houston Rockets could steal Miles Bridges from the Hornets
Judging by the way he had the Boston Celtics playing, Ime Udoka likes his teams to play an inside-out brand of basketball. There is a focus on rim pressure and physicality, with every player expected to put in work off the ball.
Miles Bridges could thrive under Udoka and would slot into Houston’s rotation alongside Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson. However, there would be questions regarding Bridges’ fit, as his arrival could dispel Jabari Smith Jr, who enjoyed a solid rookie season with the Western Conference franchise last yet.
Bridges would instantly improve Houston’s interior scoring. During the 2021-22 season, Bridges converted 68% of his shots around the rim, while he’s also flashed upside as a perimeter scorer, hitting 40% of his perimeter looks in 2020-21 – per Cleaning The Glass.
While it’s still too early to predict which teams will have legitimate cap space next summer, it’s safe to assume Houston will be players in the free-agent market, and Bridges could become one of their primary targets.