24-year-old Miles Bridges is about to get himself a serious payday.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the young swingman could sign for up to $173 million this summer after declining an extension last fall.
Bridges is clearly the present and future wing Charlotte wants to develop alongside Ball. After Bridges’ camp declined a four-year, $60 million contract offer last fall, sources confirmed, he is expected to command a maximum salary that could total five years, $173 million this summer. League personnel believe the Hornets will match any offer sheet for Bridges. That could either dissuade teams from making an earnest attempt at signing him, unnecessarily tying their hands for 48 hours. Or it may encourage a rival suitor to force Charlotte to pay his full max, as the Brooklyn Nets once did with Washington and Otto Porter.
Miles Bridges is expected to command a maximum salary that could total five years, $173 million this summer, per @JakeLFischer
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Over the years, Charlotte has been an extremely underwhelming squad. Frequent finishes near the bottom of the standings gave them a negative and dysfunctional stigma within the NBA community.
But the arrival of Bridges, and his teammate LaMelo Ball, are paving the way for a better future.
As talented young players with loads of potential, they could lift Charlotte to heights they’ve never seen before.
“The season isn’t successful until you win a championship,” said LaMelo. “But it’s [also] pretty much always about being better than the last year. So, last year we were in the play-in. This year hopefully we get in the playoffs, win a first round, something like that. Just keep going up from there. I just feel we’re like a big away. One that can clog up the whole paint, rebound. Put that bitch in my hands [and] let me rock! That’s how I be feeling. And then we’re gonna be straight.”
Sadly, the Hornets’ season is over after losing to Atlanta in the play-in. It marks their second-straight defeat in the tournament.
Even so, there is reason to be optimistic. With Bridges, Ball, and a new feeling of optimism for the franchise, the sky is the limit for their future.
The Hornets just have to make sure they lock up their young stars now before another team is given the chance to snatch them up.
