NBA Rumors: Suns “very confident” they can pull off controversial trade

Sitting at 10-32 and in 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Charlotte Hornets have begun their retooling/rebuilding process by sending combo guard Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat. However, another move could be on the horizon for the Hornets with the Phoenix Suns in pursuit of pulling off a controversial trade.

Per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports, the Suns are “very confident” about their chances of acquiring forward Miles Bridges from the Hornets ahead of the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline.

Despite Phoenix’s expressed confidence in being able to facilitate a trade combined with Bridges being a talented player who could be a solid on-court fit with their dynamic trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, there are a few things that could get in the way of the deal coming to fruition.

How plausible is a Miles Bridges trade to the Phoenix Suns?

First and foremost, Bridges’ legal troubles are a public relations nightmare for any franchise exploring acquiring him. The 25-year-old wing sat out all of last season as well as the first 10 games of 2023-24 after pleading no contest to domestic violence stemming from an incident that occurred in 2022. The optics of trading for a player with a conviction of this magnitude may be enough to deter the Suns from making the move.

Next, the Hornets are searching for draft capital in exchange for their players with an eye toward the future. However, the Suns are not equipped with the assets to get into a bidding war for Bridges after mortgaging their future to acquire Durant and Beal if other teams decide to enter the sweepstakes.

Lastly, Bridges has a no-trade clause in his contract after signing the qualifying offer with Charlotte this offseason — giving him control over where he ends up next. 

In 31 games this season, the Michigan State alum is averaging 20.8 points per game, shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc, paired with 7.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.1 steals. Moreover, Bridges currently ranks fifth in the NBA in minutes per game (37.0) and would provide a boost to a Suns team badly lacking depth.

No matter how confident Phoenix may be about bringing in Bridges, they must hurdle these obstacles first.