Miles Bridges – Charlotte Hornets

With all of the injuries that the Hornets have dealt with this year, Miles Bridges has stepped up into a major role for them and has been an “irreplaceable” player for them. In 64 games this year, the 23-year-old forward has averaged 12.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and has shot 50.6% from the floor, 40.5% from three-point range. 

Bridges may not be a “franchise guy” and he is not a player like LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier or Gordon Hayward that the Hornets will look to build around, but he is a key player for this organization that without him, they would not be as successful as they have been this year. 

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Whether it is playing a “sixth-man” type of role or being in the starting rotation, Miles Bridges has found success all season long and is earning himself a lot of money along the way. He is by no means a max-contract type of guy, but a $12M+/year contract is not out of the question for Miles Bridges. 

Not to mention, Bridges is a “human highlight tape” and it seems like every single game he plays, he is adding someone new to his dunk mixtape. The athletic ability he possesses and the ability to be a primary ball-handler as a combo-forward is what makes Miles Bridges a very unique player that a team will be willing to pay handsomely. 

Will that team be the Hornets though? Only two teams in NBA history have never gone above the hard cap — the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets and the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans. The Hornets have never been bigger spenders when it comes to giving out big contracts and this trend is likely to continue, so Bridges’ future in Charlotte is definitely something to keep an eye on.