NBA mock trade: Miles Bridges heads home in Hornets-Pistons deal

Miles Bridges goes back to Detroit in a new mock trade.

Zach Roberts | 4 Hours Ago

Jan 3, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) dribbles against Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (00) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

The Detroit Pistons were long rumored to be interested in Miles Bridges before last year's trip into unrestricted free agency. Ultimately, the Charlotte Hornets signed him to a three-year, $75 million deal.

That deal hasn't aged all that well, and it's not great to be spending that much on someone who isn't the best or even second-best player on an eight-win team. In this mock trade, the Pistons, who are much improved, get their hometown player and the Hornets move off of the contract of Bridges.

Miles Bridges goes home to Detroit in this mock trade

Miles Bridges is from Flint, Michigan, so the Detroit Pistons are his hometown team. In this mock trade, he gets to go play for them and help them push for the playoffs. Bridges and a 2025 second go to the Pistons for Tim Hardaway Jr. and a 2029 first.

The way the Pistons are trending now, that 2029 first may not even be a lottery pick, which is why they're fine with sending it to Charlotte. This also improves their team now and isn't a rental, which Detroit probably isn't interested in making right now. The Hornets get to move off of the Bridges contract and get Tim Hardaway Jr. in return.

Hardaway is a natural shooting guard, which means the Hornets can just shift everyone else down in the lineup, either moving Josh Green to the bench or putting the slightly taller Brandon Miller at the four. Moussa Diabate could enter the starting lineup, too.

The shooting guard is also an expiring contract, which works out well for the Hornets. This way, they get out from under the Bridges deal and have $16.2 million coming off the books after the season ends. It would make the Hornets worse and give them a bit of a size disadvantage at the four, but it is a good move for the long-term outlook of the franchise.

Charlotte could ask for Simone Fontecchio to get a little more size, but Bridges may not be worth two players and a first-round pick.