Suns fans should be concerned by praise the Hornets keep receiving

When the Phoenix Suns pulled off another head-turning trade to acquire Miles Bridges, the reviews were not positive for the Suns.

For the Charlotte Hornets, though, the move was met with widespread praise and plenty of “A” trade grades. They got two extremely capable veteran wings who can shoot the lights out from 3-point range in Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, while also adding the Suns’ unprotected first-round pick in 2033.

It remains to be seen where that first rounder will wind up, but it’s impossible to know how good or bad the Suns will be seven years from now. That’s a variable that works in the Hornets’ favor until proven otherwise.

In any case, the Hornets are looking at the forest through the trees. They’re cashing in on assets they didn’t view as parts of their long-term future in order to compile draft capital and solid veteran pieces who can shoot the rock in Allen, O’Neale and Naz Reid (who was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the blockbuster LaMelo Ball trade).

As the Hornets’ front office maneuvers to build around their youth in Brandon Miller and Rookie of the Year contender Kon Knueppel, one pundit notes that moving on from “bad influences” was a guiding force behind their recent trades.

Suns fans should worry about the team adding a ‘bad influence’

While speaking with CBS Sports colleague Sam Quinn, Director of Basketball Scouting at CBS Sports Adam Finkelstein praised Charlotte for maximizing the value they got in return in trades for both Ball and Bridges.

He said that rehabbing Ball’s image and dealing him arguably at the height of his value put the Hornets in a much better position compared to the Boston Celtics, who got relative cents on the dollar for Jaylen Brown, and Atlanta Hawks, who were essentially forced to deal Trae Young with his value at its lowest.

“I think the other thing they’ve done, they’ve cleaned up their locker room,” Finkelstein said. “They are getting rid of the bad influences, whether that be Miles Bridges and his issues off the floor, whether that be LaMelo Ball and his unwillingness to defend. They are bringing in professionals.”

So much of what made the Suns’ 2025-26 season fun and exciting was the change in culture. The era with Mike Budenholzer and Kevin Durant was surrounded by a dark cloud of negativity that ultimately culminated with a season 10 games under .500 without a playoff berth.

After trading KD for Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and the pick that became Khaman Maluach, Brooks in particular helped flip the script in Phoenix to build yet another winner. The Suns made the playoffs, and while they were ultimately swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder, there were plenty of silver linings from a season marred by near-constant injury woes.

Now, their biggest offseason move was largely criticized, while the other team that agreed to a deal with Phoenix is being praised for shipping away “bad influences” and loading up on draft capital to boot.

Depending upon what the draft lottery rules look like beyond 2029, the Hornets may make out like bandits.

The Suns, meanwhile, have Bridges on an expiring contract. The roster is very similar to a season ago, and without a long-term extension for Bridges — a 28-year-old who has never even earned an All-Star appearance — he’ll amount to a one-year rental.

His past off-the-court legal issues raise valid concerns, and if Finkelstein’s “bad influences” analysis extends to the impact Charlotte’s players had on youngsters in the locker room, that could torpedo the good vibes Phoenix was building in The Valley.

Given Bridges' age and track record, there’s an argument to be made for the Suns to not even re-sign him, which makes the deal look even more suspect if he’s not a long-term piece.

If he’s not, the Suns surrendered more meaningful draft capital for short-term return, while the Hornets added picks and “professionals” in their own trades to widespread admiration.

Suns fans will have to wait and see what the on-court product ultimately looks like with Bridges in the mix, but the early returns do not reflect positively on the Suns like they do for the Hornets.

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