I’d play like poop for coop. Or sag for Flagg.
Those are cool and all but our working slogan is Layoffs for Playoffs.
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Layoff for (future) playoffs
- Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets ($25M AAV)
Contract: 3 years, $75 million
Percentage of the 2024-25 salary cap: 16.5%
2023-24 (69 games): 21 PTS (46/35/83), 7.3 REB, 3.3 AST, 37.4 MIN
Advanced: 15.4 PER, 55.6 TS%, .040 WS/48, -1.1 BPM, 0.6 VORP
Cost Per Win: $11,363,636.36
On the eve of free agency in 2022, Bridges was arrested on domestic violence charges. His wife accused him of fracturing her nose and wrist, tearing muscles in her neck and choking her until she “went to sleep.” Bridges later pleaded no contest, avoiding jail time. He remained unsigned for the 2022-23 season.
Two days before free agency in 2023, the Hornets extended a $7.9 million qualifying offer to Bridges, who accepted for the 2023-24 campaign. He arrived to this past season’s training camp accused of violating a protective order, though that charge was later dropped, and told reporters, “I feel like if I can get us some more wins, I feel like people’s perspective will change a little bit on me.” He proceeded to average 21 points on below-average efficiency for a Hornets team that won 21 games — six fewer than in 2022-23.
As a result, the Hornets have now signed Bridges for $75 million two years after they were prepared to offer him nine figures. In some people’s eyes, that may be considered a win, at least in a basketball sense.
In my eyes, we have seen two more years of playoff-less basketball in Charlotte and no more proof from Bridges that he meaningfully contributes to winning. The Hornets were worse with Bridges on the floor.
The Clippers and Cavaliers reportedly kicked the tires on Bridges. Either would have required Charlotte’s approval of a sign-and-trade. Neither bit. In other words, nobody else was giving Bridges this deal, unless the Hornets facilitated it, and even then I am not sure anyone was paying half as much as Charlotte did.
To give a sense of the scale:
+10.0 is an all-time season (think peak Jordan or LeBron)
+8.0 is an MVP season (think peak Dirk or peak Shaq)
+6.0 is an all-NBA season
+4.0 is in all-star consideration
+2.0 is a good starter
+0.0 is a decent starter or solid 6th man
-2.0 is a bench player (this is also defined as "replacement level")
Below -2.0 are many end-of-bench players
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I am sure that the coaches, owners and anybody in the organization who reads stats are aware of these numbers
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I hope that the negotiators read these stats out loud to Miles and his Klutch representatives at the start of free agency
The message: do better do much much better
Good post man. I just don’t see the bridges contract as a “good contract”. I also understand that as the salary cap grows, the 25m will scale to be more like 20m. I just don’t see how handing 75m to a guy the league was ice cold on during free agency is a good contract.
And I fully believe the “rumors” about teams like the clippers, cavs, etc. where all from bridges camp.
I also fully believe that if the hornets didn’t gift him this 75m deal, he would’ve only signed elsewhere at the MLE, for one year. That’s just not a good contract.
We can provide reasons to justify it or say “it’s not too bad”, but that’s all “copium” at the end of the day.
Yes, yes, and yes.
I’ve been describing miles bridges for weeks as an “empty calorie” stat sheet guy. This is exactly what I’m talking about.
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Maybe, and in that case we would have lost him for nothing, which is what it appears the FO was trying to avoid. By signing him, we keep open the option of trading him and extracting value for him down line, like we did with PJ. That’s still the better play imo.
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Our FO’s short history has shown some great work so I can’t believe we gave him 3/75 without any team options if the only other choice for him was the MLE.
I don’t have the answers but I can’t see them just tossing money out there if they didn’t feel they needed to.
Addition by subtraction, you say tomato I say tomatoh.
It’s definitely hard to disagree with any of this. I’m just glad it’s only three years, and if everything goes to plan Salaun progresses and is the 4 of the future and we can move Miles a few years into this deal. I agree I would not have done this deal but for a team in spot I don’t see it being too debilitating.
Taj Gibson to hornets. One year 3.3 million.
Yes! This is the adult in the locker room I was hoping for. Good call.
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We needed a 3rd C and an adult in the room…so win/win!
Not much out there for this kind of money.
Good pick up. He is a tough SOB
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is taj older than the coach?
I like this signing, got a vet in the room now
I believe so. Coach Lee is 36 or 38?
I feel like Taj Gibson has been one of those guys we’ve talked about coming here since the forum started.
Let’s go.
I honest to God didn’t know that he was still in the league! He played PF/C so this could also specifically be about Tidjane. Yeah give that kid every chance to succeed w extra extra support and coaching!
He’s probably not coming off the bench. I expect him to play 5 minutes TOPS in a single night. Here is what Taj said himself:
NBA Central: Taj speaks on how crazy Thibs is: “I see the player get hurt. I’m like ‘I know this fool ain’t gonna call me.’ I go to sleep…I wake up it’s 3am: ‘Yo you in shape?…Can you be ready tomorrow?…'” (x.com) / June 17, 2024
Omari Sankofa II: Marcus
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