After earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors based on his performance through the Hornets‘ three games, Miles Bridges hasn’t fallen off at all during his last two contests. The fourth-year forward is averaging 26.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 1.8 SPG with a shooting line of .527/.395/.909 through five games (35.2 MPG).
While it’s very early and Bridges almost certainly won’t maintain that pace, he was nearly a 50/40/90 shooter last season and seems capable of handling an increase in usage without his efficiency taking a major hit. As Zach Lowe of ESPN writes, Bridges is poised to become a “better offensive player – and sooner – than even the Hornets anticipated.” If Charlotte had expected this from the 23-year-old, Lowe adds, the team would’ve made a stronger push to lock him up to a rookie scale extension earlier this month.
Discussing Bridges’ impressive play on his Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that the Hornets’ initial extension offer to Bridges was in the range of $15MM per year.
“When he was in negotiations for his extension, I’m told that the Hornets’ baseline offer was four years, $60MM,” Windhorst said. “… That was Charlotte’s baseline offer. They may have come up, but they were never really close.”
As Windhorst points out, once three-and-D forward Mikal Bridges signed a four-year, $90MM rookie scale extension with the Suns, there was no chance the Hornets were going to be able to lock up their own Bridges for anything in the neighborhood of $60MM. In fact, if the former Michigan State standout can maintain anything close to his current pace, he could match or exceed Mikal’s $90MM on his next deal.
It’s too late for the Hornets to sign Bridges to a rookie scale extension, but the club will be in the driver’s seat when he reaches restricted free agency next summer. There won’t be many teams with the cap room available to make Bridges an aggressive offer, and the Hornets – who have a relatively clean cap sheet going forward – would be able to match any offer sheet he signs. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the young forward this season to see just how high he can boost his value ahead of his looming free agency.
Brides is playing for that contract. I like him but he’s never played like this. Hope he stays but I don’t watch him a lot. So I’d be leery about a big contract. He’s playing well now.
If you don’t watch the kid & don’t know his game why even speak on it? He was a beast last yr. Talk about stuff you know about & just learn about stuff you don’t
He wasn’t really a beast last year, just maybe the last 15 games. He’s actually doubling most of his offensive stats (shots taken overall, three pointers attempted, ppg, PER, WS/48) this year from last year. He’s been incredible this year, but it’s only a handful of games. Let’s see if he can sustain this.
My point exactly ….. guy has a few dunks and he’s a Beast. He must be 16 yrs old.
If you watched him play (not just looking up his stats but actually watched him play) then his start to this season isn’t surprising at all. Tbh I was more shocked at how he was playing last season than how he’s playing this season. He’s always been extremely athletic but last season he showed that he can be a consistently great (not merely good) shooter for an entire season. It’s extremely obvious to see which of you guys just stat watch compared to the guys that watch actual games. Miles’ stats from last season might not jump off the page but it was extremely obvious that he was on an upward trajectory to anyone that was paying attention. My main point is this tho.. if you don’t know about Miles Bridges & haven’t watched him play much then why even have a public opinion on him? Seems like the obvious first step would be to familiarize yourself with his game THEN form an opinion about his game. And the only real way to familiarize yourself with his game is to watch him play in basketball games (not highlights, not reading his stats & not listening to other peoples opinions on him). Obv this goes for every player, not just Miles Bridges. But clearly some people just have a need to hate on guys whether they know what they’re talking about or not
He’s been outstanding, unbelievable yet in a small sample size. The leap is dramatic and if this is who he is, then he’s worth far more than $15 mil AAV. Yet if this is who he is he’s one of elite players in the league. Who before the season had that type of viewpoint and analysis of him. Hint: nobody. So Knickerbocker Al is not out of line saying he has some concerns about paying MB a max contract or something close to it. If you mis-evaluate you just put an anchor around your neck. I’m loving what MB is doing. He’s been sensational yet let’s see what he’s doing in January, April and in the playoffs before giving him the Carolinas.
I know enough to know you don’t know Shot. He’s never avg more than 13 pts. Never started enough gms except last yr. So my point exactly, playing for a contract. Your not in my league child. Go help Okongwu play Center.
Obviously someone in your past hurt your feelings by calling you a child. Just because that worked on you doesn’t mean it’s gonna work on anyone else lol. As far as Okongwu he clearly doesn’t need my help playing center lol, he won 2 or 3 Cali state titles as a center, beasted at USC as a center, got drafted #6 overall as a center & helped the Hawks have their best season in 50yrs as a center
What’s wrong with Okongwu? Coming into the draft, he was one of my favorite players. He reminded me of Bam
Also, starting and counting stats dont mean that much, especially for a young player. He has been improving since college. He was highly touted, then stayed an extra year in school, and fell slightly in the draft b/c of his shooting, which has improved significantly since then.
Hawks fans and Knicks fans exchanging trash talk. How inane.
He has always played like this, even at Michigan State.
What’s his average lifetime TS%?
Idk why people act like players don’t grow. Everything about his game says he was going to be a solid nba player then everything he did before this year showed he was likely to make a leap. Brandon Ingram didn’t get good because of magic. All the tools, numbers and eye test were there. Same with both Bridges.
So the Bridges’ careers keep spanning.
Bridges at this rate is going pretty close to getting a rookie max. Even if you don’t think he’s worth it but he’s relatively close some team will likely be willing to overpay in order to get him.
I could see OKC, Detroit or Orlando doing this.
Detroit don’t have any big contracts and no big extensions. Orlando have some cap space, plus Gary Harris 20mil expiring, they could possibly make a trade and get enough room to offer Bridges a big deal. OKC Besides Shai’s huge extension they won’t have anyone else above 10mil, in fact besides Favours everyone is on rookie contracts or the vets min.
Okc is the only one of those teams I could see making sense b/c they could use the help at the 4. Those other teams have multiple guys there
But they are rebuilding and have cap space.
Bridges is also a 3 not a 4.
Bridges would be perfect for Orlando they lack scorers and shooters and he provides them with that. He would also fit well with any of their point guards and next to Isaacs.
For Detroit, they don’t exactly need him with Bey providing a similar skill set but cause they are rebuilding they would offer him money.
Trade Grant for a first plus bits and get Bridges for free in FA and he fits your timeline better, and fits around Cunningham excellently
He is a 4/3…I think you definitely want him around other shooters as that space has helped him improve in that area himself, to where he is now.
Orlando has Isaac and Okeke at the 4/3 positions, and have Wagner also as a 4, playing out of position at the 3. They only recently cleared Aaron Gordon from that same logjam. If Isaac comes back healthy, and knocks down shots the way he is capable of, I could see him and Bridges playing with each other, depending on the rest of their rotation, but there are better fits
Detroit has Grant there, on a decent value deal, and Josh Jackson, and Cade Cunnigham arguably also could play at that spot, depending on who else is on the floor with him. Their biggest problem last year and this year, besides spacing, has been Dwayne Casey has been really bad.
Regardless, I dont see Charlotte making the mistake of losing him, even though they didnt extend him. This is the best team they’ve ever had, and they’re building towards a lot more, in my opinion
This career IS NOT worth max money. He’s playing great now. So what does that tell you. I’d trade him while he is hot. Do we bother to look at his stats. Or we going to mouth like the Child from Atlanta…… who thinks a player smaller than Bron and Randle. Is the next great CENTER.
link to basketball-reference.com
100% would atleast think about trading him.
Come end of the season the Hornets most likely need to match a max offer or let him walk for free and both of which don’t seem ideal.
So have a look and see what’s on offer.
However you have to think if Bridges can do it for a whole season maybe he’s worth investing in. He’s got great chemistry with Ball and he is your star, so that’s something too.
But numbers wise, he’s playing so great cause he’s getting 6 minutes more per games and taking literally double the shots from last year.
His efficiency shouldn’t be a surprise cause he’s always been pretty good and same with his defence.
So I mean for now you don’t trade him cause he’s playing great and possibly worth keeping but you atleast look at some offers. If you get something crazy then sure.
Mikal Bridges is a different player, at a more valuable position, but it’s a fair point to make, as regardless, a 2 way 4 that can put the ball on the floor, make plays, get to the paint and finish, and shoot, as well as defend multiple positions, and also protect the rim a little, like Miles Bridges, is extremely valuable
If you havent seen this coming, I dont know if you’ve been paying attention. Maybe not at this level, just b/c you might think usage rate would be a bit lower, or even that PJ Washington might start over him, or next to him at the 5…but still you could see the offensive progression from before he was drafted, to this point. Once he started improving his jumpshot, and being more consistant with it, first with catch and shoot, and then pull up 3s, that made all his tools that much better. He and Justise Winslow are extremely similar type players, but Bridges is more of a frontcourt guy, while Winslow can be used at guard, as well as their most obvious position at the 4
Bridges is a big reason why I thought Charlotte would grab that 4 or 5 seed last year before their whole team got hurt down the stretch, and a big reason why I think they can be there thos season. Definitely was surprised they dodnt sogn him. That being said, his defense hasnt been quite there so far thos year, as his offense has exploded, so I would like to see him get back to what he does defensively, in addition to what he is doing offensively, and that would make him an all star level player
Totally too early to speculate you’re looking at a 6 game sample where hes doubling his previous highs. Let’s see where hes at by the break before you back up the brinks truck. 4/60 is honestly fair for a sub-15 point scorer. Maybe he gets 4/80 if he averages closer to 20 a game with the boards and steals being up where they are.