Hornets View Former First Round Pick as Perfect Miles Bridges Replacement

The Charlotte Hornets are getting prepared for the 2024 NBA Draft as new head coach Charles Lee will look to find a talented rookie to add to the young core of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams.

However, the draft isn’t the only way the Hornets can rebuild their roster for next season. They can also be players in free agency as they are projected to have the seventh-most cap space in the league ($5.17M), per Spotrac.

That isn’t a ton of cap space to work with in free agency, but best believe, Charlotte will do its best to try to move Davis Bertans and maybe Cody Martin to free up some space. The Hornets might also want to re-sign Miles Bridges, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent.

But, there could be a few contenders who may want to sign Bridges this offseason, leaving the Hornets in no man's land. If the Hornets lose Bridges in free agency, they have their eyes on a former first-round pick who could be fit and grow with the rest of their core.

Hornets Rumors: Charlotte Has Patrick Williams on Its Radar

Matt Moore of Action Network reported Monday that Charlotte is “known to be fans of Bulls free agent Patrick Williams if they can’t retain Bridges in free agency.”

Williams, drafted in the first round by the Chicago Bulls in the 2020 NBA Draft, is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this offseason. As a restricted free agent, the Bulls can match any offer Williams gets from another team.

For example, if Williams were to sign an “offer sheet” with the Hornets, Chicago has the chance to match it and keep him in the Windy City. However, if the Bulls are planning to make drastic changes with their roster, it would surprise me to see Williams stick around.

Williams only played in 43 games this season with the Bulls after undergoing season-ending left foot surgery in January. The 6-foot-7 power forward averaged 10.0 points and 3.9 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game. He also shot 44.3 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Nonetheless, if the Hornets are truly interested in Williams, he wouldn’t completely fill the void left by Bridges, who averaged 21 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game this season. 

Williams’ offensive game is nowhere near at the same level as Bridges, but that’s why you have Ball, Miller, and whomever else the team takes at No. 6 pick. Now, you could make the case that Williams makes Charlotte better defensively over Bridges. 

The Hornets need all the help they can get on defense after allowing 116.8 points per game this season (22nd in the NBA) and being ranked 29th in DRtg (119.8). Lee will emphasize defense with this young squad, especially coming from the Celtics, who have been one of the best offensive and defensive teams in the league.

Charlotte has a long way to go in terms of competing in the Eastern Conference. But if they can build a solid roster this offseason, the Hornets could find themselves in the play-in, if things break their way.

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