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The Phoenix Suns have remained relevant throughout the course of the NBA offseason - even in a month of extreme activity - with the acquisition of former Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges being part of that equation.
Bridges does profile as a borderline starting player at very worst, but off-court troubles and questions surrounding his on-court fit in Phoenix have permeated what has been a turbulent three-week time period.
Zach Lowe of the Ringer is one of the several media members with influence that is openly questioning the decision, with his grievances being aired in a recent podcast episode.
Lowe acknowledged that Bridges does bring athleticism/bounce to the table that Phoenix lacks but also pointed out said grievances in the same breath. Among the negatives were committing long-term extensions to both him and Dillon Brooks, as well as if Bridges' production actually translates to winning basketball.
Bridges is slightly under-appreciated as a passer (averaging nearly 4 assists per game in 2025-26), but his overall game-to-game impact is limited by his defensive limitations and relatively average clip from three-point range for his career.
The 2018 lottery pick does fit Jordan Ott's rotation in many ways, but it requires a lot of commitment to gift extensions to both Brooks and Bridges while also pushing to develop prospects such as Koa Peat. Bridges' lack of threatening presence from behind the arc very much puts a team-wide regression as a three-point shooting entity at risk.
Despite the negatives that are on the table, there are avenues for the on-court fit to work in the grand scheme of things. Bridges' rim pressure rate has been on the downturn over a multi-year running average, but his utilization in Ott's system absolutely has potential to buck that trend - even after departing from LaMelo Ball's visionary playmaking.
Bridges can also be hidden in a more simple manner on defense in high-leverage situations in Phoenix compared to Charlotte, while the 6'7" forward seems keen to adjusting his game to fit franchise player Devin Booker in an optimal manner.
The questions that are active now will persist over the next several months, but the Suns ultimately got their top target on the trade market. Bridges will be the starting power forward in Phoenix, with the hope that the veteran will add another element to a Suns' offense that is in need of a jolt.
Join The SunsRoundtable
Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button at the top of the page... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.
Continue reading...
Bridges does profile as a borderline starting player at very worst, but off-court troubles and questions surrounding his on-court fit in Phoenix have permeated what has been a turbulent three-week time period.
Zach Lowe of the Ringer is one of the several media members with influence that is openly questioning the decision, with his grievances being aired in a recent podcast episode.
Lowe acknowledged that Bridges does bring athleticism/bounce to the table that Phoenix lacks but also pointed out said grievances in the same breath. Among the negatives were committing long-term extensions to both him and Dillon Brooks, as well as if Bridges' production actually translates to winning basketball.
Bridges is slightly under-appreciated as a passer (averaging nearly 4 assists per game in 2025-26), but his overall game-to-game impact is limited by his defensive limitations and relatively average clip from three-point range for his career.
The 2018 lottery pick does fit Jordan Ott's rotation in many ways, but it requires a lot of commitment to gift extensions to both Brooks and Bridges while also pushing to develop prospects such as Koa Peat. Bridges' lack of threatening presence from behind the arc very much puts a team-wide regression as a three-point shooting entity at risk.
Despite the negatives that are on the table, there are avenues for the on-court fit to work in the grand scheme of things. Bridges' rim pressure rate has been on the downturn over a multi-year running average, but his utilization in Ott's system absolutely has potential to buck that trend - even after departing from LaMelo Ball's visionary playmaking.
Bridges can also be hidden in a more simple manner on defense in high-leverage situations in Phoenix compared to Charlotte, while the 6'7" forward seems keen to adjusting his game to fit franchise player Devin Booker in an optimal manner.
The questions that are active now will persist over the next several months, but the Suns ultimately got their top target on the trade market. Bridges will be the starting power forward in Phoenix, with the hope that the veteran will add another element to a Suns' offense that is in need of a jolt.
Join The SunsRoundtable
Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button at the top of the page... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.
Continue reading...
