After three years of failed extension talks, Miles Bridges and the Charlotte Hornets have finally reached an agreement.
Bridges has re-signed on a three-year, $75M deal. The deal was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. After serving a 10-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season, he emerged as one of the team's best players during an injury ravaged season. Bridges averaged 21PTS 7.3REB 3.3AST 0.9STL 0.5BLK while shooting 46% from the field and 35% from three.
Due to Bridges past legal issues, Charlotte's rebuilding timeline and concerns about his fit and possible decline, his return was uncertain as outlined HERE. However, the Hornets clearly felt letting losing a starting calibre forward who they have drafted and developed for nothing was not an option. last season's team leader in minutes (37.4) and leading scorer (21.0) leave in free agency was not an option.
In the early hours of free agency there were reports of a gap in valuation between the Hornets and Bridges' camp, as there had been last summer. However, as other cap space teams' around the league made moves and free agents were signed, Bridges options were running out.
The looming threat of Bridges' hometown Detroit Pistons, who entered the summer with max cap space and had been linked with Bridges dwindled away. Pistons' new President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon's strategy focused on using the space to absorb bad contracts for assets, rather then splurge on big money free agent signings. Whispers of Utah and Philadelphia never came to fruition, and so Bridges was left with the Hornets being the last last partner on the dance floor.
Although Bridges' counting stats suggest last season was a career year, the eye test told a different story. Bridges was thrust into a primary option role due to injuries, while productive his efficiency and shot profile slipped. There was also a decline in his athleticism attacking the rim, as well as a further deterioration of his defense. The Hornets will hope that can be attributed to Bridges being tired, as he was one of the league leaders in minutes per game (37.4) and shouldered a career high 23.5% usage.
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