The Charlotte Hornets faced a key decision last summer when Miles Bridges entered free agency. While he had a productive tenure with the team at that point, his off-court issues didn't do him any favors with many Hornets fans.
So polarizing was Bridges' reputation with the squad's supporters that they implored the front office to refrain from offering him a deal, even if it meant losing him for nothing. Evidently, Charlotte had no intention of letting him walk during the offseason.
However, what piqued some folks was that the organization gave the embattled forward a generous three-year, $75 million contract despite the apparent absence of other suitors. Only time will tell if Bridges can earn his keep, but the early returns have not looked promising.
The trade
It's unclear what the Hornets' game plan is during the trade season. It stands to reason that the only untouchables are LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams. A case can be made that Tidjane Salaun should be included in the list, considering that he is the franchise's latest lottery pick.
As for Bridges, his spot on the roster is anything but safe, especially now that he is not bound by a trade restriction anymore.
Several teams could have a use for the 26-year-old veteran, including probably the Detroit Pistons. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report believes Charlotte should propose a trade with its conference rival and ask for Isaiah Stewart, Tim Hardaway Jr., and a 2025 second-round pick via the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Bridges.
The Pistons have been one of the league's surprises this season, running to a 21-19 record. They might need some help on offense down the stretch because starting shooting guard Jaden Ivey could miss the rest of the season because of a broken fibula. In Swartz's trade scenario, Bridges would return home to Michigan and likely take over Hardaway Jr.'s starting spot to give the squad another potent scorer.
The grade
Charlotte probably won't like the idea of surrendering its third-leading scorer without landing a first-round pick (although the second-round selection in the trade idea is slated to be the 33rd overall) or multiple second-rounders.
To be fair to Stewart, though, he would be an intriguing addition for the Hornets. He could bring the toughness and defense that have been sorely lacking in Buzz City in recent weeks.
And maybe acquiring "Beef Stew" would make it easier for the top brass to finally trade Nick Richards. On the flip side, his limited skills wouldn't be able to lift the team's bottom-ranked offense and could give Ball and Miller less room to operate with the ball.
Meanwhile, Hardaway Jr. could be the solution to the Hornets' lack of reliable bench scorers stemming from Tre Mann's prolonged stint on the sidelines. However, the journeyman's streakiness could prove to be more detrimental to the squad than helpful. The good news is that he will be a free agent in the offseason, so Charlotte could just let him walk if he doesn't play up to par.
Perhaps the only way the Hornets would even consider going through with such a trade proposal is if they also have other moves planned to address their other major weaknesses.