The NBA trade market is already moving fast, and Charlotte is again at the center of it.
The Hornets are reportedly sending Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-round pick.
The reported deal comes only days after Charlotte reportedly moved LaMelo Ball to Minnesota in a trade that brought back Naz Reid and future draft assets. Together, the two moves would mark a sharp break from a roster built around Ball and Bridges, two of the team’s longest-running names.
For Phoenix, Bridges offers another scoring forward after spending his entire seven-year career in Charlotte. The 28-year-old averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists across 77 games last season, shooting 46.0% from the field.
The Suns had reportedly pursued Bridges before the 2024 trade deadline. Two years later, they are positioned to land him as they keep searching for a mix that can hold up in a crowded Western Conference.
Charlotte’s return gives the Hornets two experienced rotation players. Allen averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals for Phoenix last season, while O’Neale averaged 9.8 points and shot 40.8% from three-point range.
O’Neale also finished with 212 made threes last season, ranking 17th in the league. For a Hornets team that made a 24-win jump before losing in the Play-In Tournament, the result changes the picture without closing the door on more movement.
The pressure is now on Charlotte to show what this reset is becoming, and the sports world is watching what happens next.
