NBA brawl proves Suns should move on from this trade target

A recent 110-104 win over the Charlotte Hornets for the upstart Detroit Pistons (the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference) was dampened by an ugly brawl that broke out.

After the dust cleared, four players were ejected from the game — including reported Phoenix Suns trade target Miles Bridges.

Bridges threw a punch during the melee with Detroit, which could (and should) lead to a lengthy suspension for Charlotte’s talented forward.

It became clear in the lead up to this year’s trade deadline that the Suns were on the lookout for upgrades to their power forward position. It’s a position without much depth for Phoenix, who’ve mostly been playing Royce O’Neale and Dillon Brooks at the 4 spot in small-ball lineups this season (with great results, to their credit).

The Athletic’s Sam Amick (subscription required), reported in late January that the Suns were among the teams who had interest in Bridges ahead of the trade deadline. Suns owner Mat Ishbia put the kibosh on those rumors, but didn’t seem to deny the team’s interest reported by Amick.

Speaking on The Zach Lowe Show podcast, Ishbia was asked (indirectly) about Bridges and the Suns’ reported interest in acquiring him via trade.

“I’ll tell you that I know that guy that you’re referencing, and he’s a great player and a winner on the court,” Ishbia said. But he added, “There’s nothing to it right now.”

As others reported, the Suns likely didn’t have enough trade bait to acquire Bridges regardless of interest level. Charlotte reportedly wanted one or multiple first-round picks in return for him, assets the Suns are in short supply of following blockbusters to acquire Kevin Durant, Brad Beal and Mark Williams in recent years.

Suns fans should be thankful Bridges rumors didn’t go beyond just that

In addition to his latest involvement in a brawl that will likely keep Bridges sidelined for an extended period of time, the Michigan State product (another hint why Ishbia’s Suns would have him on their radar) has a track record that should make him actively aim to avoid more controversy.

Bridges faced multiple legal issues in the past stemming from a June 2022 domestic violence arrest. That arrest led to a no contest plea, probation, and a 30-game suspension from the NBA. Bridges ultimately sat out the entirety of the 2022-23 season.

In October of 2023, a criminal summons was issued for Bridges for an alleged violation of the protective order stemming from his earlier sentencing according to Mecklenburg County court records. Bridges was also charged with child abuse stemming from another another alleged domestic violence incident.

Now, with punches thrown and another suspension inbound, it’s even more clear the Suns should move on from Bridges (unless his first name is Mikal) as a target moving forward.

Brooks has been the culture-changer during his first season in Phoenix. The Suns play a tough, gritty brand of basketball and their defense has improved significantly as a result. But their Achilles heel remains their hotheadedness.

Their propensity to rack up flagrant and technical fouls has put the Suns in precarious situations this season, with possible suspensions on the horizon for Brooks and others if they pick up more of those infractions the rest of the way.

Adding a piece to the roster who’s no stranger to suspensions from the league would be an enormous gamble that’s not worth the risk for a Suns team building a positive culture under new head coach Jordan Ott.

It’s a big part of the reason why Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant wasn’t moved at this year’s deadline. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that teams around the league assess Morant as having “negative value” when accounting for his contract, current level of play, general perceived attitude and past off-court indiscretions.

While the level of play from Bridges has been better compared to that of Morant in recent months, factors like character and professionalism still matter.

The Suns didn't ultimately swing a trade for the Hornets embattled forward, and the latest incident should have them looking elsewhere when adding future reinforcements to the roster.