Oct 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) celebrates with guard LaMelo Ball (1) after scoring a basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Why the Hornets should the consider trading Miles Bridges before the 2025-26 season

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Colin Keane | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 2:53 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets have some roster trimming to do, and a surprising move could be in play.

Charlotte is expected to double down on its youth movement in 2025-26, especially with the Hornets bringing in a riveting rookie class headlined by Kon Knueppel, who may very well debut in the starting lineup when the season tips off in October.

Charlotte’s three veterans over thirty years old — Pat Connaughton (32), Spencer Dinwiddie (32) and Mason Plumlee (35) — might appear like logical trade chips, but only Connaughton is immediately movable. Dinwiddie and Plumlee can’t be traded until December 15, as both players signed new deals with Charlotte on July 13.

Trading Plumlee would be precarious for Charlotte, anyway, as he’s the only proven NBA center on the roster at the moment.

The Hornets are overstocked at the guard position, making guys like DaQuan Jeffries and Nick Smith Jr. likely goners. Moving on from those two and Connaughton sounds plausible, but what if Charlotte also explored a much bolder idea?

The Hornets should consider trading Miles Bridges

Miles Bridges, 27, is in the prime of his career, but that also makes him a poor fit for Charlotte’s timeline. The Hornets are building around LaMelo Ball (23), Brandon Miller (22), and Knueppel, who turns 20 on August 3. Postseason basketball is probably a couple of seasons away, and by the time Ball and Miller enter their primes, Bridges will be exiting his, a notable development for a player whose game relies significantly on athleticism.

By moving Bridges for young talent and draft capital, Charlotte could strengthen its rebuild and create more immediate minutes for guys like Tidjane Salaun, providing the Hornets’ staff with accurate intel about whether or not he should factor into the team’s future.

Bridges’ explosive scoring and agreeable contract would surely attract a handful of suitors. He is making $25 million in 2025-26, but that number drops to $22.8 million in 2026-27 before Bridges enters unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2027.

The Hornets' roster is young, talented, and comprised of too many players who need the basketball. Trading Bridges could help Charlotte lean into its rebuild while arriving at a clearer depth chart and offensive identity.