The Charlotte Hornets face important roster decisions as they prepare for the 2025-26 season, with a focus on accelerating their youth movement. The team is expected to feature a highly anticipated rookie class led by Kon Knueppel, who could earn a spot in the starting lineup when the season begins in October. This push toward younger talent creates room for potentially significant trades.
Among the veterans on the roster, Pat Connaughton (32), Spencer Dinwiddie (32), and Mason Plumlee (35) are over 30 years old and might seem like logical trade candidates. However, only Connaughton is immediately available for trade. Both Dinwiddie and Plumlee are tied to new contracts signed in July, making them unavailable for trade until mid-December. Additionally, trading Plumlee poses a challenge because he is currently the only proven center on the roster, an important role for the Hornets.
The Hornets are also overloaded at the guard positions, pointing to likely departures for players such as DaQuan Jeffries and Nick Smith Jr. While moving these players makes sense, the Hornets could consider a more drastic approach by exploring a trade involving one of their key assets: Miles Bridges.
Why Trading Miles Bridges Could Align With Charlotte’s Timeline
Miles Bridges, at 27, is entering the peak years of his career, but his stage conflicts with the Hornets’ projected timeline. Charlotte is currently building around young stars LaMelo Ball (23), Brandon Miller (22), and rookie Kon Knueppel (20). Since postseason success is still a few years away, Bridges may be approaching the tail end of his prime during the team’s competitive window, which is crucial given his reliance on athleticism.
Trading Bridges for promising prospects and draft picks could accelerate Charlotte’s rebuilding process. It would offer immediate playing time to emerging players like Tidjane Salaun and provide clearer information about his potential role going forward. This type of move would also simplify the roster, paving the way for a more defined depth chart and offensive system aligned with the young core.
Bridges’ combination of dynamic scoring ability and a reasonable contract makes him an attractive player to other teams. His salary is set at $25 million for the 2025-26 season, decreasing to $22.8 million the following year, before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2027. This contract profile could draw significant interest, making a trade feasible when timing aligns.
Given the team’s youth and the crowded guard rotation, moving Bridges would represent a bold but logical extension of Charlotte’s strategy. It enables the Hornets to fully embrace their rebuilding phase while better defining their long-term roster and competitive outlook.
Looking Ahead: What This Means for the Hornets
As the Hornets chart their path toward future success, the potential trade of Miles Bridges signals an important inflection point. By prioritizing youth and draft capital, Charlotte could emerge with a more focused roster constructed around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, maximizing their prime years. Meanwhile, players like Kon Knueppel and Tidjane Salaun could receive expanded opportunities to prove their value.
While trading a key contributor like Bridges may unsettle some fans, the decision reflects Charlotte’s broader commitment to building a sustainable contender rather than chasing short-term wins. The next year or so will be critical for management as they balance asset management with team development, with the 2025-26 season serving as a key testing ground for this strategy.