The last thing the Charlotte Hornets should do this coming offseason is stand pat — unless they plan on becoming the league's laughingstock again. With a little more than six weeks remaining in the regular season, the front office should be getting a better understanding of which players should stay on the roster beyond the summer and what pieces to bring in via the draft, free agency, and trade.
Perhaps the first item on the Hornets' to-do list is shop Mark Williams around again, as his future with the organization has looked murky since trading him and getting him back from the Los Angeles Lakers. That would leave LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller (if they don't get shipped) as the two remaining parts of what was expected to be the team's core. A replacement is presumably coming, though, with Charlotte hoping to land a top selection in the 2025 draft.
It will be interesting to watch how the rest of the roster rounds up. There are a couple of veterans who have proven to be valuable, although rumor has it that one of them could be gone soon.
Hornets designed Miles Bridges' contract to be tradeable
Many fans weren't thrilled when the Hornets re-signed Miles Bridges to a three-year, $75 million contract last offseason. While his production on the hardwood floor was decent enough, his off-court baggage was seen as a major hurdle in his career.
However, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Bridges will be a name to watch in the trade market in the summer, with league sources saying that Charlotte structured his deal to be descending to make him a key trade chip eventually.
With over six weeks left in the 2024-25 regular season, Bridges has arguably lived up to his contract. Despite some struggles early on, he has performed well for an underachieving Hornets squad, averaging 20.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. His efficiency has taken a dip, although that can be chalked up to the forward having to do too much because of injuries to key players.
What has been more impressive about the Michigan State University product in this campaign is his marked improvement on defense. He owns the second-best defensive field goal percentage this season at 40.7 percent, with only Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets holding opponents to a worse shooting clip.
Bridges' all-around development, including his leadership skills, can make him a key part of the Hornets' foundation. However, only time will tell if the organization sees him in that light.