The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves navigating a rocky start to the campaign, hampered by injuries to superstars LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Despite standout efforts from Austin Reaves, who channeled their spirits with explosive outings of 51 and 41 points in consecutive games, the team sits at a modest 2-2 record.
This early turbulence highlights a clear opportunity for the Lakers to bolster their roster through the trade market. According to Bleacher Report analyst Andy Bailey, one intriguing option emerges from the Charlotte Hornets in the form of versatile forward Miles Bridges.
“The old rumors of the Los Angeles Lakers’ interest in Jerami Grant never made much sense (because Rui Hachimura is probably better right now), but that is a position that could use a jolt. And L.A. may have enough movable contracts (along with a draft pick) to get a forward like Miles Bridges without necessarily giving up Hachimura,” Bailey wrote.
Currently in the middle of a three-year, $75 million deal signed in the summer of 2024—a bargain for his production—Bridges has kicked off the year strongly. In three appearances, he’s contributing 19.3 points, eight rebounds, and 4.7 assists while logging 32.7 minutes per contest.
Over the previous three seasons, the 27-year-old has consistently eclipsed the 20-points-per-game threshold. His most recent full campaign saw him deliver 20.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 31.7 minutes nightly, achieved on shooting efficiencies of 43.1 percent from the field, 31.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 87.0 percent at the free-throw line.
While pinpoint accuracy has seldom defined Bridges’ style, his knack for erupting in scoring flurries stands out as a potential remedy for the Lakers’ current offensive struggles amid their injury crisis.
Beyond pure scoring, Bridges brings an often-overlooked dimension as a facilitator on the court. Defensively, he may not rank among the league’s top stoppers, yet his physical tools—combining height and explosiveness—enable him to match up against a variety of opponents across positions.
The bigger hurdle lies in Charlotte’s willingness to part with him. The Hornets have started the season on a promising note, raising doubts about their eagerness to deal a key contributor like Bridges.
One possible motivator for Charlotte could be creating opportunities for emerging talents on their roster. Still, Bridges remains a cornerstone piece, and his salary structure poses no significant burden.
For the Lakers, initiating discussions with the Hornets represents a low-risk, high-reward strategy to gauge availability and potentially address immediate needs without sacrificing core assets.
Across his professional tenure, Bridges has maintained solid lifetime marks of 15.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per outing, with career shooting percentages of 46.1 from the floor, 33.9 from three-point range, and 82.7 from the charity stripe.
In summary, as Los Angeles seeks to stabilize and surge forward despite setbacks, pursuing a talent like Miles Bridges could inject the necessary energy and versatility to turn their season around.
