Miles Bridges had multiple suitors, options in NBA free agency. So why re-sign with Hornets?

In between his latest intense workout and fulfilling some team-mandated obligations in preparation for the 2024-25 season, Miles Bridges takes a brief break.

Dressed in the Charlotte Hornets ’ white uniform after receiving a pair of fresh socks to complete the look, Bridges grabs a rest on a folding chair in a room tucked away from the commotion and controlled chaos typically reserved for the final few days leading into training camp .

Bridges is back in his preferred destination, the place he’s called home since the Hornets acquired his rights in the 2018 NBA Draft, and eager to get going.

“I just feel like this is a new start,” Bridges told The Observer on Wednesday in his first extended interview since re-signing in July . “With coach (Charles) Lee and the new coaching staff coming in, new management, I just feel like we are stepping in the right direction. And I just feel like I wanted to be a big part of that.

“And plus, I already have chemistry. I have been here for seven years and I’m comfortable here. So that played a big part, too.”

As did a bunch of unfinished business. Such as proving the Hornets are a good organization to all the skeptics.

Very little has gone in Charlotte’s favor over the past eight years in amassing the NBA’s longest playoff drought, especially in the last five years.

“Yeah, I feel like we haven’t had a chance, just dealing with injuries,” Bridges said. “But I feel like if everybody stays healthy we can show the world how good we really are.”

Returning to the only organization he knows wasn’t always a lock, though, given Bridges controlled his own destiny as a first-time unrestricted free agent. He had that power after betting on himself and making the rare move of inking a one-year tender following restricted free agency in 2023.

There were other suitors for Bridges’ services, he told The Observer. At least two, in fact. Yet Charlotte was the only team on his mind for a variety of reasons.

But in the meantime, until everything got sorted out, blocking out the external noise didn’t pose a big problem to Bridges.

“For me, it really wasn’t that much because I got away,” he said. “I went to Hawaii with my trainer, so I was really just staying away from everything, staying away from rumors and anything that can steer me the wrong way. So, I was just talking to my agents, looking for updates from them.

“So, it wasn’t really hard for me. I knew what was true and what wasn’t. So, it wasn’t that hard.”

Among the things that were accurate and not hyperbole? Bridges did draw interest from the LA Clippers, who needed to make some moves — particularly after Paul George bolted to Philadelphia — since they’re opening up their new arena this season. They were a real option.

“Yeah, the Clippers are a great organization,” Bridges said. “They wanted me, the (Cleveland) Cavaliers wanted me. But at the same time I was just trying to see what was the best fit for me, and what would make me and my family happy.”

Charles Lee, durability and 2024-25 expectations

Although Bridges missed the entire 2022-23 season and was suspended for the first 10 games of 2023-24 — after pleading no-contest to felony domestic violence charges — he was one of 13 NBA players who averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game last season.

Career bests in points, field goals, made 3-pointers and 2-pointers, defensive rebounds and total rebounds were just some of his season highlights. But perhaps most impressively, Bridges was Hornets’ ironman, playing in all but three of the games he was eligible to suit up in.

Sounds like that won’t change much this season.

“Yeah, I feel great physically — I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve been in going into the season in my whole career,” Bridges said. “And mentally I’m great. I’m focused on basketball and being with my family, being with my kids. So, everything is going great for me.”

During the offseason, Bridges came up with a plan and vision to be an even better version of himself during his seventh season. He focused intently on two specific areas, honing in to ensure he reaches that next level.

“Just my leadership skills,” he said. “I really wanted to get better with my defense. I know I say that every summer.”

Bridges laughed.

“But I feel like I’m really locked in on defense,” he said, “my on-ball and just me talking out there and being more vocal.”

How?

Easily, Bridges suggests.

“Just being consistent,” he said. “Just me doing it everyday. Say we are having open gym and I’m having a bad game and not making shots or turning the ball over, just keeping the same energy throughout the whole time. I think that plays a big part in leadership. You can’t just be a leader when everything is going good. When you are going through adversity, that’s when you really show you are a leader.”

Having Bridges morph into a true one would certainly benefit a team that’s devoid of veterans, which is why they brought Taj Gibson on board . Lee could use all the help he can receive to get messages across.

Bridges intends on doing his part to assist Lee, who has already left quite the impression.

“He pays attention to every detail,” Bridges said. “He pays attention to when I have the ball, when I don’t have the ball. On defense, he remembers almost every play. So, I feel like he is very intelligent as a coach in that aspect and he is very energetic. He’s a younger coach. I’m not used to that.

“Coach (James) Borrego, he was a young coach but he was more on the cool, calm side. Coach Lee has more energy and he tries to get on the court a little bit. But it’s good. It’s good. I like the way he coaches.”

Lee’s main message is rather simple: Don’t be offensive about playing defense.

“He’s made that very clear that it’s going to be a staple this year,” Bridges said. “Being active on the defensive end, talking, all that type of stuff. I feel like that is what matters the most to him.”

Likely because Lee is fully aware that without an improved effort on that end of the court, the Hornets won’t get anywhere close to reaching their goal of halting that exhaustive postseason drought.

“Reasonably, I feel like we are a playoff team,” Bridges said. “I feel like we can compete with the best of the best, and I feel like that about the whole NBA this year. I feel like it’s going to be a different level of competition throughout every game. I feel like everyone is pretty evenly matched. Like I said, I feel like if we stay away from injuries I feel like we can be a playoff team.”

That’s when Bridges mentioned the notable change that’s invigorating the players: the Hornets’ 10-person health and performance staff led by vice president Trent Salo. Charlotte was second only to Memphis in player games lost due to injury the last two seasons and they hope that dubious distinction is finally halted under the new staff.

“They’ve been crazy good with everything,” Bridges said. “They have us doing workouts that we’ve never done before, stretches that we’ve never done before. Melo and Brandon (Miller), they both have been wearing ankle braces. So, they pay attention to a lot of detail and I feel like that is going to play a big part in our offseasons.”

One of the philosophies of the Hornets’ new health and performance staff centers around serving as examples, living by the same guidelines they’ve bestowed upon the players.

It’s apparently inspired Bridges & Co. quite a bit.

“I feel like they do a better job of holding us accountable,” Bridges said. “When we first came in for summer league, they asked us our goals and they actually want us to follow through and reach our goals. So, I thought they did a great job with that and just knowing like when we have a hard day, two hard days, the next day is going to be more like a light day, like a mobility type day.

“They have that type of stuff that will help us out with when to go hard and when to be a little light.”

Motivated LaMelo Ball and playoff talk

Re-signing with the Hornets kept Bridges together with Ball, his good friend. This is a huge season for the star point guard after another injury-marred campaign in 2023-24, and Bridges thinks his buddy is excited to go out and prove he’s serious about basketball.

“Yeah, he’s been in Charlotte the whole summer,” Bridges said, “working on his game, getting better and showing that he’s committed to being the franchise player of this franchise. He’s been doing a great job playing in all the open gyms. He’s been getting better at defense. I feel like he’s in for a good year.”

If that’s the case and Ball can resemble anything close to the All-Star form he displayed in 2021-22, the Hornets remain confident they can punch that playoff ticket. And they’re not shying away from the chatter at all.

Quite the opposite. It’s actually embraced.

“That’s something that we talk about every day,” Bridges said. “Me, Brandon, Melo, we get together, that’s the main thing we are talking about. What can we do to get better? What can we do to win games that people think we can’t win? And even just watching film, looking at games that we lost that we should have won.

“What could we have done better in the clutch? What could we have done on one play because we have this amount of margin of error every game. So, we’ve just got to fix the little things and be better.”

Which could lead to the Hornets finally ceasing to be a punchline. They’re constantly ridiculed and Bridges even jokingly pointed out to Golden State’s Draymond Green , his buddy, how he’d remembered a wisecrack written on X.

Words, however Bridges admitted, are cheap. Halting the comedic overtures will require more than a few verbal barbs being tossed around.

“Us talking can’t do anything about it,” Bridges said. “It’s more of an action thing that we’ve got to do. If we lose games then we are going to be the butt of every joke. Detroit, they get those kind of jokes, us, the (Washington) Wizards, they get those types of jokes. I feel like for us to be on the other side of the joke, we’ve got to win games.

“So, we’ve just got to let our play do the talking.”

In a sense, the same mentality could be applied to Bridges continuing to rebuild his image. He’s been more embedded in the Charlotte community, doing things for the youth and impoverished.

He also made sure to hold events in his native state as well as his adopted city, and admits it’s something that should be more frequent.

“I definitely wanted to do that before, but I never had the chance,” Bridges said. “So, for me, going back to Michigan and having a book bag giveaway for the kids in Flint was great for me and then coming back here and having a book bag giveaway for back to school in Charlotte was big. And I want to continue to do that throughout the future.”

He believes it’s imperative to display another side of himself.

“It’s big for me,” he said. “People that know me understand what type of person I am. But the people who don’t, I want to show them that it’s a different side to a story or how people portray you.”

In fact, Bridges said perception led to him calling it quits on one of his favorite activities: creating music. He intends to release a final project soon, bringing an end to a rap career.

“Because people portray me like if I’m doing music then I’m not focused on basketball,” Bridges said. “So, I just wanted to get that out of everyone’s head. Even though I am focused on basketball and music is just a side thing or something just for me to get my stuff off, just to show people I’m focused on basketball.”

Bridges is under contract until 2027, having inked a three-year, $75 million deal. He’s pleased with the pact, acknowledging both sides had a little give and take during the negotiations.

Getting a taste of the big bucks has him primed to land an even larger deal when free agency rolls around for him again, further allowing him to build financial wealth.

“Yeah, it’s for sure motivation,” Bridges said. “My kids are set for life. I’m working a ways to set them up for life, but it does give me hunger to get even more in the next contract. I’m not mad. It’s just I know I can do better.

“But like I said. I’m happy to be back. I’m happy to be back. I’m thankful to the Hornets for giving me that contract. But yeah, I’m definitely hungry to get another one and the only way I can do that is winning, So, my main focus is just on winning.”

And, in turn, joining rare air.

Bridges still has hopes of donning the purple and teal until he hangs up his sneakers.

“Yeah, for sure,” Bridges said. “Not too many people can say that they stayed with one team their whole career. Kemba (Walker) almost did it here. But I want to be one of those players. I want to be a franchise cornerstone for Charlotte until I retire.”