Miles

Bridges

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.

One night removed from scoring 25 points in a win over the Suns, Bridges put up 19 more on Friday. Add in the assists and three-pointers, and this was another good performance for the Hornets’ forward. Bridges will look to end Week 23 on a high note when Charlotte visits Minnesota on Sunday.

After scoring an efficient 19 points in Tuesday’s win over the Nets, Bridges was even better against the Suns. Recording his first 20-point game since March 14, the 25 were the most in a game for the Hornets’ forward since a March 11 win over the Kings (26 points). Add in the three-pointers, and Thursday was a good night for those rostering Bridges.

Bridges set a new season high for steals, and he fell one swipe shy of matching his career high. Entering this game, Bridges had a quiet stretch, and this ended up being his highest-scoring performance since March 14. He’ll continue to start and play big minutes, but his box score production has at least partially been limited by lopsided scores. That wasn’t the case in this one, and he’ll look to stay hot against the Suns on Thursday.

Bridges entered Wednesday’s game in a shooting slump, averaging 11.8 points per game on 30.8 percent shooting from the field over his last five games. To say he needed a night like Wednesday would be an understatement. The 26 points were the most Bridges has scored in a game since February 7, when he hit that number in a win over the Hawks. He’ll look to finish Week 20 on a high note when the Hornets visit the Spurs on Saturday.

Bridges’ scoring output has decreased since the All-Star break, and his season-long fantasy value has suffered. Including Sunday’s performance, he’s averaged 12.6 points per game on 40 percent shooting since the break. Add in Bridges shooting 66.7 percent from the field and limited production in assists, steals and blocks, and his post-break value sits well outside the top-100. Bridges should still be rostered in most leagues regardless of format, but fantasy managers hope he can turn things around in Week 20.