Miles Bridges shares insight on his role in the 2024-25 Charlotte Hornets offense

Matt Alquiza | Oct 1, 2024

Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Miles Bridges had no choice but to get buckets for the Hornets last season. The long-term absences of All Star guard LaMelo Ball and interior force Mark Williams put the scoring onus on Bridges, and he delivered. The veteran swingman averaged 21 points per contest on a career high 24.2% usage rate. Bridges' scoring efficiency dipped dramatically, but that is to be expected when you carry the kind of offensive burden he shouldered last season. 

Bridges knows that his workload from last season is unsustainable. He played a whopping 37.4 minutes per game (another career high) across 69 appearances with the Hornets. For the brunt of those games he was option 1A alongside rookie Brandon Miller, who understandably faded down the stretch of his first year in the Association. 

During the Hornets media availability earlier this week, Bridges admitted that he needs to play a different role when his full allotment of teammates are available. When asked about his role on the 2024-25 Hornets offense, Bridges had this to say. “I feel like facilitating more. You know, looking at LaMelo and Brandon to do most of the scoring, so I’m just there whenever they need me.”

I was a little surprised at this answer from Miles Bridges yesterday - said he expects LaMelo and Brandon to shoulder most of the scoring load while he helps as needed. pic.twitter.com/pP6XJcY7WV

— Will Eudy (@WillCEudy) October 1, 2024

A bit of a surprise, no? NBA players traditionally beg for more shots instead of willingly accepting an ancillary role on an offense. Bridges self-awareness of his role on the team is commendable, and his willingness to take a backseat could be the best thing for the franchise. 

Bridges’s best season came in 2021-22 when he was the third option on the Hornets offense. He led the team in scoring, but he put up those numbers on ridiculous efficiency as he took the third most shots on the team (behind Ball and Terry Rozier). His best role is as a Jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none piece in a starting five. Bridges seems ready to embrace that specific role, letting Ball and Miller shine. 

Popular media personality Bill Simmons has long said that the secret of basketball is that the best teams have no egos. Bridges decision to take a backseat on offense, and the entire franchise’s consistent refrain about unity, hard work, and commitment to each other, seem like the Hornets will be embracing that secret in this new era led by Charles Lee and Jeff Peterson. 

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