Cavaliers Express Interest in Miles Bridges Sign and Trade

Could the former Hornet lottery pick be on the move this summer?

Mar 25, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) looks to pass beside Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) in the fourth quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The longer free agency goes on, the more rumors there are that Miles Bridges is actively looking for a sign and trade opportunity to another team. First, there was a report that the LA Clippers were interested, now it's the Cleveland Cavaliers according to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein.

“It is not yet clear how serious the interest is, but league sources describe Cleveland as a team to watch in potential sign-and-trade scenario for Miles Bridges. New Hornets executive vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson has said publicly that Charlotte hopes to retain Bridges, but Bridges is known to be interested in sign-and-trade options.”

- Marc Stein - The Stein Line Substack

This isn’t the first time the Cavs have been linked to Bridges. Cleveland reportedly expressed interestin him last offseason when he was a restricted free agent. 

This report comes just days after a source told the Charlotte Observer's Rod Boone "I think they end up signing and trading". This simply adds to the momentum of a Bridges exit, which seems closer now than ever before.

Cavaliers Trade Partner Analysis

Any S&T deal with the Cavaliers would likely be a double S&T including Cavalier's restricted free agent Isaac Okoro who has yet to come to terms on a new deal. Okoro's fit on Charlotte's roster appears clunkier following the Josh Green trade, who plays the same role and position. However, given Charlotte's struggle for perimeter defense and toughness, can they have too many defensive orientated wings?

Another option for Charlotte is to target Max Strus, a 3-point shooter who moves well off the ball and recently signed with Cleveland but had a tough time in this year's playoffs. The Hornets might also be interested in what's left of Cleveland's future draft picks, which mainly include some weak second-round picks and first-round picks from 2030 and beyond.

Finally, don't rule out the possibility of a sign-and-trade deal involving Bridges being part of a larger multi-team trade. During the off-season, four or five team trades are more common because there is more time and cap flexibility to make them happen. Several names in the NBA trade market, such as DeMar DeRozan, Lauri Markkanen, and Brandon Ingram, could potentially be involved in a bigger deal including Bridges.

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