The Charlotte Hornets, who rank as one of the worst teams in the NBA, were relatively busy at the trade deadline last month. They acquired Jusuf Nurkic from the Phoenix Suns and traded for Josh Okogie less than a month prior. Additionally, they agreed to trade Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers for Dalton Knecht, though that trade has since been rescinded. With a postseason appearance essentially completely out of the picture, the Hornets will soon shift their focus to the offseason where, according to NBA insider Michael Scotto, the team could opt to trade Miles Bridges.
According to Scotto, Bridges is “a name to watch on the trade market this offseason.” Scotto notes that, while Bridges is in the first year of his three-year deal, the Hornets always planned to use him as a trade chip.
“Lastly, forward Miles Bridges will also be a name to watch on the trade market this offseason. When Bridges originally signed his three-year, $75 million contract, it was structured to descend and be used as a trade chip, league sources told HoopsHype. Bridges will be owed $25 million for the 2025-26 season and $22.83 million in the 2026-27 season.”
This season, Bridges is averaging 19.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
NBA Insider Names Charlotte Hornets’ Miles Bridges As Offseason Trade Candidate
Teams Are Also Monitoring Another Major Charlotte Hornets Trade
According to Scotto, Bridges is not the only Hornets player to keep an eye on this summer. Scotto reported that rival teams will also monitor the status of LaMelo Ball.
“The availability of Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is one of the stars several executives who spoke with HoopsHype will be monitoring on the trade market this summer.”
Looking ahead, Ball wants to start winning. Thus, is Ball willing to endure more losing and lessen his chances of individual accolades as the Hornets continue rebuilding under the new regime of executive Jeff Peterson and coach Charles Lee?
As it stands, it is unclear how likely a trade involving Ball is this offseason. Still, it is an interesting narrative to follow. The California native has spent his entire career in Charlotte up to this point. When healthy, he is one of the best point guards in the NBA and is an All-Star talent. This season, Ball is averaging 26.1 points (a career-high), 5.1 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
Interestingly, the Hornets are 13-24 when Ball steps on the court. Without him, they are 1-21.
The Last Word
Charlotte has just 23 games remaining. While most teams are pushing for a higher seed at this stage, the Hornets may be in the opposite position as they are just three games ahead of the Washington Wizards for the bottom seed in the East.
The Hornets have not made the playoffs since 2016. As it stands, it seems likely that this trend will continue. Even so, there is a lot of talent in Charlotte. They are a young team with plenty of high-potential players like Ball and Brandon Miller. However, it seems that some major changes are inevitable for Charlotte this offseason. The most likely trade candidate is Bridges, but it is still worth monitoring the rest of the team.
© Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
The post NBA Insider Names Hornets Starter As Offseason Trade Candidate appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.