According to NBA insider Gerald Bourguet of PHNX, the Phoenix Suns are “confident” they’ll acquire Miles Bridges from the Charlotte Hornets.
Bridges has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he can control where he gets traded.
“A source close to the situation described the Suns as feeling very confident they’d be able to get a deal for Bridges across the finish line,” Bourguet wrote. “Financially speaking, Bridges’ $7.9 million contract would be easy to match by sending Charlotte a combination of Nassir Little’s $6.3 million salary and a veteran minimum player like Chimezie Metu ($2.3 million), Yuta Watanabe ($2.3 million) or Bol Bol ($2.2 million).”
Bridges is making $7.9 million this season. He’s averaging 20.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks while shooting 45.8% from the floor, 35.8% from beyond the arc and 87.5% from the free-throw line. The 25-year-old becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns Updates
The Hornets are open to trading everyone on their roster except for LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Mark Williams. Charlotte traded Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat recently.
Bridges, who missed the entire 2022-23 season due to off-the-court issues, has career averages of 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks. He was the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Michigan State.
The NBA trade deadline is February 8. The Hornets are expected to be sellers since they have the third-worst record in the East, while the Suns will be buyers since they are title contenders with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the roster.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns Updates
Along with the Suns, Bridges is drawing trade interest from the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz.
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