Miles Bridges limited to eight points vs. Portland

Bridges has scored at least 21 points in back-to-back games and shot the ball well on Monday. Compared to his final season with the Hornets, Bridges is averaging more rebounds, steals and blocks, while his scoring average is nearly the same (17.0 compared to 17.1 last season). Some fantasy managers may consider selling high, but Bridges’ current averages are sustainable.

While Bridges hasn’t been hitting his 3’s this season, he’s done everything else that he was doing in Charlotte last season. He’s scoring at a decent level, he’s rebounding the ball, and playing solid defense. It hasn’t translated to many wins at this point, but he does give them a good defender at the wing position which they didn’t really have last season.

Bridges shot just 2-of-10 from three on Monday, but a 5-of-7 night from inside the arc helped salvage something for fantasy managers in the field-goal percentage category. The rebounds and assists were good, but the problem for Bridges is that this is another two-game week for the Suns. And Friday’s matchup with the Nuggets won’t be easy.

Bridges doubled his point total in the Suns’ season-opening loss in Portland, while also adding solid rebounding and assisting. Bridges may not be the most prolific fantasy option, but as in Charlotte, he’s well-positioned to deliver top-100 value in category leagues. Unfortunately, the Suns only play two games in Week 2, starting with the Thunder on Monday.

Bridges injured his right ankle during the first half of Wednesday’s game, ending his night after logging eight minutes. The veteran forward, whose arrival in Phoenix pushed Collin Gillespie out of the starting lineup, finished with three points, one rebound and one assist. However, Rasheer Fleming started the third quarter instead of Gillespie. Bridges’ injury did not appear serious, and the Suns won’t play their first regular-season game until October 21.

With his draft rights acquired on the night of the 2018 NBA Draft, Bridges has spent his entire NBA career in Charlotte. He appeared in 77 games last season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 three-pointers while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 82.2 percent from the foul line. His trade is the second for the Hornets in less than a week as the franchise charts a new path, with LaMelo Ball having been dealt to the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Bridges missed the entire 2022-23 season due to a (since-resolved) domestic abuse case, but has been a productive player when he’s suited up.. Bridges can provide solid fantasy value when available, but his ceiling will be capped in a lineup that features Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.

While there were some rumblings that Bridges could be had for the right price at the February trade deadline, the veteran forward remained in Charlotte. However, that may not be the case this summer, based on Fischer’s reporting. Bridges is going into the final year of his contract, with a $22.8 million cap hit. Regarding the draft, the Hornets currently hold two first-round picks, 14th and 18th overall. Would Bridges plus a pick be an approach for the team to take if they wanted to move up? That will be something to keep an eye on, especially with Charlotte also rumored to be seeking an upgrade at the center position.

Bridges struggled with his three-point shot in the season-ending loss. However, his success inside the arc and at the charity stripe helped him finish as Charlotte’s second-leading scorer on the evening. Bridges didn’t contribute in many other areas, however, and a bad team performance prevented this contest from being competitive through the final horn. He ends his seventh NBA season with averages of 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. His fantasy production slipped this season, as did his overall numbers.

Bridges was exceptional on both ends of the floor during Tuesday’s contest. In his team-high 43 minutes, he did lots of damage from beyond the arc, but also had his share of buckets inside the three-point line. The veteran forward also battled on the glass and nearly amassed a double-double. But perhaps his biggest moment came in the closing moments of the game when he went up and blocked Davion Mitchell’s game-winning shot attempt to keep the Hornets’ season alive. Bridges totaled four stocks and will try to land another impactful two-way performance on Friday against the winner of Sixers-Magic.

Bridges has now scored 25 points in two of his last three games and at least 19 points in four consecutive games. The 28-year-old small forward stepped up for the Hornets on a night when Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller combined for just 18 points. Bridges has provided eighth-round per game value over the last two weeks. The Hornets have three games in the last week of the regular season, starting with a matchup against the Celtics on Tuesday.