This past season was filled with injuries for the Charlotte Hornets. LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams both missed over half the season, and several other rotation players were forced to miss extended stretches. As a result, the team struggled mightily and a postseason berth was not in the cards.
But one player who consistently remained healthy for the Hornets in 2023-24 was Miles Bridges. After returning from his suspension on November 17, Bridges played in all but three games the rest of the way for Charlotte. He was essentially the team's Iron Man, never sustaining any major injuries and always finding a way to suit up and be there next to his teammates.
Miles enjoyed a productive season after a year off from professional basketball. He put up averages of 21.0 points and 7.3 rebounds while playing the fourth-most minutes per game of any player in the association. Showing off his three-level scoring ability, he showcased his value to rival teams, so it should be no surprise that multiple clubs are now interested in pursuing him in free agency.
According to a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Hornets, Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz are all expected to have interest in Bridges during free agency this offseason.
The Hornets, Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz are all expected to have interest in Miles Bridges this summer, per @MikeAScotto pic.twitter.com/izRXKUYqWe
— Will Eudy (@WillCEudy) May 14, 2024
The Pistons and Jazz are expected to have interest in Bridges
After seeing what he is still capable of on the hardwood, it should be far from surprising that these teams are showing initial interest. Bridges proved he is a lethal scorer from all over the floor, and his abilities would be a floor-raiser for nearly any team in the league.
The connection to Detroit is relatively obvious. Miles is originally from Flint, Michigan, and the Pistons represent his hometown team. As for the Jazz, Utah was one of the teams that reached out to the Hornets at the trade deadline this past February inquiring about Bridges' availability. Clearly, an established interest was already there.
Of course, Charlotte will have bringing Miles back on their to-do list as well. The NBA free agency period will officially begin on June 30. When it does, it now seems clear that the Hornets will have to compete with at least these two teams if they are intent on keeping their leading scorer in total points from this past season.