Until something drastic happens, Miles Bridges will enter the 2025-26 regular season as the Charlotte Hornets' starting power forward. He shouldn't be too confident about holding onto that position if he can't improve his 3-point shooting, though.
He finished last season sinking a career-low 31.3 percent of his attempts from downtown. Some might defend Bridges by saying that he has the potential to be passable as a long-range sniper, as evidenced by his 40.0-percent shooting from long range in the 2021-22 season. However, the fact that his career efficiency is 34.0 percent is definitely a cause for concern.
Maybe carrying too much of an offensive load had an ill effect on the veteran's ability to hit it from downtown with decent efficiency. This year would present him with a different environment, as the Hornets have several shot-creators on the roster. As long as LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller remain healthy, Bridges won't have to worry about being the go-to guy on most nights.
Still, playing off the ball more often would require the forward to be a capable threat from 3-point land, and failing to show significant improvement in that area could shrink the floor for his teammates who initiate the offense. He could make up for it a bit by playing more as a secondary ball-handler or cutting and screening more often. However, some defenses could prove wise to his act.
Hornets still need Miles Bridges to start
With the way the roster has been constructed, there is no one else who can take his spot in the starting lineup. Maybe Grant Williams can challenge him for that role, but the North Carolina native has yet to receive a clean bill of health. Tidjane Salaun still seems years away from being a high-quality rotation player, let alone a starter.
Besides, Bridges is solid enough as a rebounder, averaging a career-high 7.5 rebounds per game in the 2024-25 campaign. The Hornets will benefit from putting him on the floor as often as possible, especially when Moussa Diabate is on the bench. In addition, he leveled up his defense in a big way last year, and any more progress in that facet would help mask Ball and Miller's deficiencies on that end of the floor.
Still, if Bridges experiences a stagnancy or decline in 3-point shooting, it could force Charlotte's hand. The front office might already see his team-friendly contract as a tempting reason to swap him for a different player or assets, and becoming a black hole on offense would only give it more push to trade him.
Hopefully, things won't have to go that far, and the 27-year-old finds a way to elevate his perimeter shooting, more so that his athleticism might already start to decline soon, given his relatively advanced age.