Now for another Bucks trade candidate! So far, we’ve included Jerami Grant, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. This time, we analyze Charlotte Hornets wing/forward Miles Bridges.
The player
Miles Bridges, 27, 6’7”, 225 lb, forward
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Season averages: 19.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG, .445/.335/.842
Miles Bridges has been a serviceable wing/forward for a long time after the Hornets picked him in the lottery back in 2018. He is one that fits into the “more power forward than small forward” category; However, he floats my boat a little more than the other player we have applied that name to, Jerami Grant, because he has a well-rounded arsenal. I think Bridges is more capable of switching between SF and PF than Grant.
Over the past four seasons for Miles, he has hit the rock at a respectable rate, averaging 20.3 PPG, though it doesn’t look like he’s done it. big efficiency (45.9% from the field and 33.1% from deep). Where Bridges separates himself from Grant, however, is in his mobility and versatility. As a sophomore, Miles has been able to get his teammates more involved, boasting an assist-to-turnover ratio that is close to 2/1. Additionally, Bridges isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty and rebound, pulling down 7.1 boards per game.
On the defensive side, I couldn’t find much on the trusty NBA Reddit, so I don’t have much to give you guys other than what I know firsthand: he’s athletic, has good size, and has been the designated “Giannis guy” in many Bucks-Hornets matchups. He is obviously very strong and seems to have decent feet; I don’t know where he is as an off-ball player. He’s averaging 1.5 carries per game, though, which is a good sign that he’s at least effective off the ball. And here we are, the Bucks need help on the wing, and Miles seems to be as good a bet as any. So, it makes sense that Milwaukee is showing interest in the former Michigan State Spartan, according to a recent report by Matt Moore:
“Speaking of bridges, the Hornets forward – who should never be in the NBA and has a -2.5 on-court rating and a -8.5 on/off split – has drawn interest from Milwaukee as they continue to try to develop to magically unlock some kind of team that keeps Giannis from leaving.”
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The Trade
Behold, the bridge-finding mechanic at work will satisfy you Hornets they are not easy. We are looking for a few who will trade there another party It is expected to ship to Milwaukee to acquire its player. But in Miles’ case—considering his cheap contract and the fact that he’s clearly better than Kyle Kuzma’s potential money—the Bucks will need to ship the goods in another way. The problem is that the Bucks don’t really have the “right assets” to trade. Simply put, bridges aren’t good for first time in general, let alone five years out, which is all the Bucks have to offer; what he deserves is a second round pick, and the Buckeyes don’t have one! The only guy on the Bucks roster who might be worth a second round pick (or two) would be Andre Jackson Jr. Ergo, the agreement should look like this:
If you’re a Buccaneer, I think you’d do this deal in a heartbeat. I’ll try my best to make a case for why the Hornets would do it, though. You could argue that, with their new influx of young talent—namely Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel—Charlotte could be looking to turn over a new leaf and leave the old(er) players behind. It’s also worth noting that they might be looking to move on from Miles, in particular, because of his off-court transgressions (people can Google it themselves if they don’t know). Additionally, they’ll be able to take a flier from a gifted point guard in Jackson, who the Bucks don’t have time for a real shot. Also, if Charlotte wasn’t interested in AJax, she wouldn’t be be installation; they’re still going to shave $2.6m off their books having just traded Kuzma (who has exactly the same contract length as Bridges).
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Fit
As I pointed out above, I would feel much better starting Miles Bridges at three than I would Jerami Grant. I think you are a good fit? Not at all. Sidenote: Michael Porter Jr. It would be my first choice, although the price of futures first is just off the table for me. Teams will be backing Bridges down the court and forcing him to make threes, which makes me nervous. However, this team just needs firemen in general, and while Miles isn’t exactly a great shooter, he is a 20-PPG scorer who also gets his teammates involved. Quite simply, he could be a key cog in Milwaukee’s offense, and the Bucks need key cogs if nothing else than to shut down certain guys. don’t do it we deserve that title.
I also want to say that Bridges would have learned a lot playing with LaMelo Ball on how to play such a special player, which could help him play with Giannis. I’m talking about screen time, when to go out, when to cut, when to stay apart, etc. Miles seems to have a decent sense of the game, and I think he will work on how to affect the game alongside Greek Freak. Additionally, I think Bridges would be a solid fit next to Ryan Rollins and KPJ (especially in non-Giannis minutes), playing a two-man game with those guys.
Arguably, though, the biggest impact he could have would be on defense and rebounding, both of which Milwaukee struggles with. The Buccaneers play small players most of the time and are dominated by big wings and centers. Bringing 225-pound bridges will help immediately in those two areas. In addition, Miles lasts a long time. He’s averaged 34.7 minutes over his last four seasons and hasn’t played fewer than 64 games in his seven-year career; The Buccaneers will be able to count on him being on the field. Overall, I think Bridges is one of the best fits we’ve looked at so far. The problem is with the mechanics that will be involved in finding him.
Are the people I have on Miles Bridges, or am I skipping him? Let us know, and if there are any other guys we should cover!
