The Charlotte Hornets franchise isn't exactly one that can afford to be picky in free agency. Charlotte is not a hot free agent destination, and to top it all off, the Hornets are coming off a terrible 27-win season. Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons why some mid-tier free agents could opt to take their talents to North Carolina.
For starters, playing with LaMelo Ball is sure to be an enticing proposition. Ball is an unselfish basketball player, and he is at his best when he leverages his deep outside shooting threat to set up teammates. There also seems to be a certain allure to playing for a Michael Jordan-owned franchise; as uninspiring as his stint as an executive may be, he is still arguably the greatest to ever touch a basketball.
The Hornets are also in prime position to add a tantalizing prospect after winning the second overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. They could either pair Ball with Scoot Henderson, giving the Hornets two unselfish playmakers, or draft Brandon Miller, grooming him to perhaps become their go-to scorer on the wing once he hits his prime.
However, the Hornets, for their sake, must be picky when it comes to these two free agents in particular. Adding talent should be the franchise's priority, that's for sure, but not at the price — financially or otherwise — that it would cost them.
With that said, these are the two free agents the Hornets must avoid when NBA free agency kicks off in July.
Miles Bridges
Miles Bridges' career, like he always was when he was on the court, was on a rapid ascent. After three middling seasons, Bridges exploded into the limelight for the Hornets during the 2021-22 season. He averaged 20.2 points per game to go along with 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, emerging as arguably their best player, playing in sweet symphony alongside LaMelo Ball. Bridges' efficiency is what jumps off the page; despite averaging 7.5 points more than the previous season, he still posted a 59.3 True Shooting percentage.
To put that in perspective, Bridges ranked 10th in TS% among players who averaged 20 or more points per game during that season, which was better than what the likes of Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, James Harden, Luka Doncic, and Anthony Davis put up.
But it has all gone downhill for Miles Bridges since. Bridges was accused of assaulting his partner and his child back in July 2022, and his legal battles led to him missing the entire 2021-22 season. The transgressions Bridges has been accused of are unspeakable, and the NBA, at the very least, sees that the former Hornets highflyer is guilty of something, as the league suspended the 25-year old forward for 30 games (20 already served).
The Hornets, following Bridges' departure, went from 8th in offensive rating to dead last; LaMelo Ball's injury woes did not help matters at all, but it's clear that the 20 points per game void Bridges left cost the Hornets dearly. And with the Hornets still having Bridges' free agent rights, they will not have to move heaven and earth just to regain his services on the court.
But it might be for the best for them to let another team take on the headache that will come from being associated with Miles Bridges — especially if they're going to take Brandon Miller second overall. Miller has some off-court troubles of his own to sort out, and re-signing Bridges on top of that is simply too much risk for any team to take on.
Everyone deserves a second chance. Bridges does as well, especially if he shows remorse for his actions. Nonetheless, Bridges may need a franchise with more organizational stability — a team with the veteran presences and coaches that could help mentor the 25-year old. And the Hornets may not be that franchise at the moment.
Jakob Poeltl
There might be temptation within the Hornets front office to reinforce the team at the center position after they had to rely on a revolving door of centers to end the season. It seems like the coaching staff was playing center roulette, as they played two of Mark Williams, Nick Richards, and Kai Jones on a given night with one of those three taking turns on the reserve list.
On the open market, Jakob Poeltl stands out as a rock-solid option for any team at the 5; Poeltl, in addition to being a stout defender and rebounder, has shown flashes of being able to operate as playmaker off the high post as well.
Nevertheless, with the youth movement in full swing in Charlotte, the team must give Mark Williams every opportunity to prove himself as a worthy starting center in the NBA. Adding a starting-caliber center in free agency may only serve to curtail the 21-year old center's development.
Follow Us
Subscribe