Miles Bridges Trade Talk Heats Up as Hornets Prep for Loaded Draft Night

The Charlotte Hornets are sitting on two first-round picks in this year’s NBA Draft, and league insiders expect them to use at least one of those selections to move on from Miles Bridges.

Bridges, who turns 29 during the 2026-27 season, is entering the final year of his contract at $22.8 million. According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, there’s a growing belief around the league that Charlotte will trade him this summer. That chatter only gets louder if the Hornets actually take a forward with either the No. 14 or No. 18 pick — which would basically be them drafting his replacement.

It makes sense when you look at how the roster has evolved. Charlotte made real noise last season, crashing the play-in tournament before getting bounced by Orlando. The emergence of Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller has given the front office a much clearer idea of what this team should look like going forward. Neither of those guys plays the four, but both are young wings who need touches and space. Bridges is a 6-foot-7 power forward who can shoot from outside and jump out of the gym, but his game has always come with a side of frustration.

He’s the kind of player who’ll drop 30 on a Tuesday in January and then disappear for three straight games. Good athlete, streaky shooter, serviceable defender when he’s locked in — but he’s also been called an “empty calories” guy by scouts who question whether his scoring actually helps you win. Add in the off-court baggage, and you’ve got a player who’s talented enough to help a contender but awkward enough that a team rebuilding around younger pieces might not want to extend him.

The Hornets aren’t really rebuilding anymore, though. They’re trying to take the next step. And paying Bridges $22.8 million for one more year — then probably losing him for nothing — doesn’t fit that timeline. A trade now lets Charlotte get something back, whether that’s a future pick, a cheaper rotation player, or a younger guy who fits the long-term puzzle better.

What kind of return could Bridges fetch? That’s the question. He’s productive but polarizing. A team that needs scoring off the bench and thinks it can keep him focused might bite. A team that runs a more structured offense might take a harder pass. Either way, expect his name to come up in draft-night trade conversations.

The 2026 NBA Draft tips off June 23 in Brooklyn. The Hornets will be on the clock twice in the first round, and Bridges’ future in Charlotte might get decided before either pick is announced.