Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neal, and the Phoenix Suns' 2033 unprotected first-round pick. That is all the Charlotte Hornets could pry out of their opponent for Miles Bridges. In fact, the front office included a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick in the deal. Bridges' consistent performances for his new employer are continuing to make a mockery of this trade.
If Charlotte intended to perform open-heart surgery on its roster, this was a poor way to start the operation. Despite being in LaMelo Ball's shadow, Bridges has been the Hornets' most consistent performer since his 2021-22 breakout campaign, when he averaged 20.2 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
Some may consider his final year with the franchise a drop in production, but he was still a standout star for the team. Throughout the 2025-26 season, Bridges recorded 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.
While nobody should put Bridges on a pedestal that demands multiple first-round picks, Charlotte's front office failed in its negotiations. If their immediate objective is to construct a roster for the future, why wait until 2033 to use the accrued draft capital?
Bridges' consistency is exactly what the Hornets are missing
Charlotte's offseason policy was questionable, to say the least. Each decision since trading Bridges and LaMelo has contradicted the next. The franchise wants to rebuild, but they are willing to offload younger prospects. If the front office needed time to decide on a clear blueprint moving forward, they shouldn't have offloaded both their star players.
Charles Lee could still have created a new culture with Bridges in the building. From the outside looking in, Bridges' personality doesn't seem as erratic and impulsive as LaMelo's; he could have brought consistency to the Hornets' roster, something the forward is currently doing in Phoenix.
The Suns have hardly been the model franchise in recent years, but something they did get right is trading for Bridges. Phoenix are also stuck in a period of mediocrity; however, they have a core of players that they can build around.
Bridges has averaged 16.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and a career-high 1.4 steals per game. His defensive contribution has significantly improved this year, but it hasn't stopped the Suns from slipping to 12th in the Western Conference. From an individual standpoint, the 28-year-old has done more than enough to justify his price tag.
There is a lot of panic surrounding Charlotte after its inconsistent start to the season, which is maybe an overreaction given how many games are left on the schedule. Nevertheless, it's clear they failed on several fronts in the offseason.
Most notably, with the Bridges trade. If the plan is to rebuild, the Hornets' front office had to demand more draft capital that they could actually use in the next few years. Whatever their blueprint is, they are failing spectacularly.
Add us as a preferred source on Google