Amid the Charlotte Hornets being sellers at the NBA trade deadline with their trade of Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat, ClutchPoints has learned from two sources that the Phoenix Suns are interested in a package that would include center Nick Richards and controversial wing Miles Bridges.
The Suns' interest in Richards was first reported by PHNX Sports' Flex from Jersey, who correctly informed fans on Twitter last summer the team is interested in acquiring another superstar that preceded Kevin Durant's trade request and move to Phoenix. ClutchPoints reported the Suns' interest in Richards Monday.
Kevin Durant talks about the summer of 2022, in which he confirms requesting a trade specifically to the Phoenix Suns. This summer took a few years off my life lol after I reported in May of 2022 that Kevin Durant and the Suns were a real possibility! 👇🤷https://t.co/2qesSQ0b1Q
— FLEX From Jersey (@FlexFromJersey) November 26, 2023
PHNX's Gerald Bourguet was the first to report the Suns are interested in Bridges.
Phoenix is looking for a “3-and-D” wing and would get an excellent basketball starter with Bridges, who is 25 years old. Bridges in 2023-24 is on a one-year qualifying deal worth fewer than $8 million.
Bridges, though a need, would bring controversy to a Suns franchise that recently turned a page from a chapter of its ownership regime under Robert Sarver, who sold the team following an NBA investigation.
Phoenix is now owned by mortgage lender CEO Mat Ishbia of United Wholesale Mortgage. Ishbia has a connection to Bridges given they both played college basketball for Tom Izzo at Michigan State.
Richards could be an upgrade for the Suns at backup center over contenders Drew Eubanks and Udoka Azubuike.
Bridges is one of the better players at his age but forfeited a potential $100-million plus contract in the summer of 2022.
He has ongoing off-the-court issues that involve a domestic violence charge in Los Angeles in Nov. 2022. He was given a three-year probation sentence and missed all of the 2022-23 NBA season.
Bridges, who is averaging 20.9 points on 46 percent shooting and 35.6 percent from three, has a pending court date for allegedly violating an order stemming from the same incident.
He was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2023-24 season. The league imposed a 30-game suspension but Bridges was given credit for 20 for the time he sat out in 2022-23.
A report from WCNC Charlotte details Bridges' violation. According to court documents, Bridges threatened the mother of his children during a custody exchange in October.
The Suns are on a six-game winning streak and now healthy. Phoenix has played just 12 games with its “Big 3” of Kevin Durant, who is an MVP candidate, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. Phoenix is 25-18, good for fifth in the West.
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