The Charlotte Hornets have not been to the NBA playoffs since 2016 and while they may fail to actually make the playoffs this season via the play-in tournament, this was definitely not a lost year.
LaMelo Ball has emerged as a triple-double-like threat every night for the Hornets, Terry Rozier is a primary scoring option and most importantly, the Hornets finally got the production that they have been searching for in Miles Bridges.
Drafted 12th overall in 2018, Miles Bridges entered the league as an extremely athletic combo-forward with no real identity.
Now, Bridges is in the midst of a career-year and after declining a small contract extension prior to the start of the 2021-22 season, he is about to get paid big-time.
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Averaging career-highs in points (20.0), rebounds (7.0), assists (3.8), steals (1.0), field goals made (7.4), minutes (35.9) and so much more, Miles Bridges has cemented his status as a dual-threat forward that really makes an impact offensively.
The Hornets are currently 37-25, the 9-seed in the Eastern Conference, but without Miles Bridges and his contributions this year, Charlotte would be picking high in the lottery.
Injuries to key talents, including Gordon Hayward, have really hurt the Hornets chances to be great this season, but overall, the emergence of Miles Bridges has been a revelation for this organization.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kemba Walker Could Return To Hornets This Offseason
However, they will not need to open up their checkbooks if they are to keep Miles Bridges long-term, as Bridges is set to become a restricted free agent in the offseason.
While many around the league expect the Hornets to re-sign Miles Bridges on a new, long-term deal, it is possible that other teams could look to sign him to an offer sheet once free agency begins. Here are three teams who could consider signing Bridges from under the Hornets.
