Hornets Interested in Re-Signing Controversial Star per Stunning Report
By Jovan Alford
The Charlotte Hornets have a big week ahead of them as they have the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. With two days until the first round of the NBA draft, it’s not entirely clear who Charlotte will take to add to their young core.
In addition to the draft, the Hornets will look to make some solid signings in free agency as they try to improve off their 21-win season. One player on Charlotte’s radar is Miles Bridges, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the month.
Hornets News: Charlotte Reportedly Interested in Re-Signing Miles Bridges
The 26-year-old forward is coming off a solid 2023-24 campaign for the ball club after sitting out the 2022-23 season due to a major off-the-court situation. Bridges was suspended for the first 30 games of this season for domestic violence charges.
However, the former first-round pick only missed the Hornets’ first 10 games. Bridges averaged 21 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. Based on his production and age, it’s not a shock that Bridges could get $30 million-plus annually, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
With all that being said, if there’s one team willing to pay him, it's the Hornets. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Monday that “there’s a belief around the league that Charlotte wants to re-sign forward Miles Bridges this summer after nearly an identical season to his 2021-22 season breakout campaign.”
The veteran forward is the perfect player to keep with the young core that Charlotte is building with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams. If the Hornets can re-sign Bridges at a respectable number, they would have another bonafide scorer.
That said, the Hornets must hope Ball can stay healthy too, because it doesn’t matter if you have Bridges and Miller doing there if the young point guard isn’t doing his part. Knowing that Charles Lee has worked with the Celtics recently, one can only imagine what type of offense he can create for Bridges and Miller on the wing.
Nonetheless, this scenario is contingent on whether Bridges wants to stay in the Queen City or if another team gives him $30 million plus per year in free agency.
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