This is not the first time the future of Miles Bridges in Charlotte has come into question, and it will not be the last. Just a few weeks after a report that suggested Bridges would be elsewhere after this season, it is The Athletic's Shams Charania stating that he could be a target of a team in his native state.
Charania reported that the Detroit Pistons are looking to acquire a "4 man" to add to their roster. Bridges was named alongside several others as possible options for Detroit.
Detroit Pistons actively looking to trade for a ‘4 man’
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BasketballOnX) December 27, 2023
“I’m told some names to to keep an eye on, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Tobias Harris and Miles Bridges”
— @ShamsCharania
[via @RunItBackFDTV ] pic.twitter.com/GuUtsTOog5
While Charania does mention that the Pistons could look to use the "$50-60 million" available in cap space following the season in free agency, a trade should not be considered off the table with the Hornets' season going the way it has. It is unlikely that the Hornets are going to receive many trade inquiries for Bridges, and If Charlotte can get something, anything, in return for his services, they should take it.
With this information now being made public, the Hornets would be wise to act now. Charlotte is struggling to win games, and it is unlikely that it would be all that different if their roster was at full strength. This is a team that is constructed incredibly poorly and lacks enough talent to have a solid foundation. There are pieces, sure, but they are still a ways away from having a talent floor high enough to be in a state where they can even consider about maybe, possibly, contending for postseason play. Trading Bridges to Detroit this season would not have an impact on the end date of their season, but it would help set them up better for the future.
Charlotte needs to understand the state of their franchise and the best way to take a collective step forward. The first part of the process must include moving on from the older players on their roster, in addition to looking to acquire something in return for players on expiring deals. This would allow the organization to have some much-needed flexibility for next season and beyond.