Although the Phoenix Suns earned top marks for their free agency decisions, another big-swing trade and the construction of the roster in the aftermath still raise a plethora of questions about the team's long-term future. Chiefly, those questions surround new addition Miles Bridges.
Bridges' future with the Suns is unclear
We don’t yet know how Bridges will fit in Jordan Ott’s system around Devin Booker (poised to take on plenty of point guard duties yet again), culture-changer Dillon Brooks and athletic high-flyer Jalen Green. But even if the best-case scenario plays out and Bridges proves to be the missing piece to take this Suns roster to the next level, he’s entering a contract year.
After averaging at least 20 points and seven rebounds per game in each of his three prior seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, Bridges’ numbers dipped last season to 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest. The scoring dropoff is understandable, given the Hornets had a more balanced offensive attack with rookie Kon Knueppel in the fold, hoisting 3-pointers. The dip in rebounding, though, is more difficult to understand.
Bridges’ minutes per game stayed steady in Charlotte at roughly 31 per game, but his rebounding percentages took hits across the board. He went from a 12.6 percent total rebound rate to 10.6 percent this past season.
The Suns will hope for a rebound in the rebounding department from Bridges, especially since his career 3-point shooting mark of 33.8 percent leaves a lot to be desired in terms of spreading the floor on offense. As a true power forward archetype, Phoenix will need Bridges to make his presence felt on the glass.
Without an extension, Bridges will become a free agent in 2027. That’s also the case for Brooks, which puts the Suns — and Booker, the face of the franchise — in a precarious position.
Contract extensions for Brooks, Bridges could define Suns’ future
It arguably makes more sense for the Suns to extend Brooks over Bridges now, since “The Villain” is a known culture and basketball fit within the organization. Unlike Bridges, though, Brooks has already celebrated his 30th birthday.
Financial constraints aside, extending Brooks beyond one or two years could backfire on Phoenix if his best years are already behind him.
And even though Bridges is two years younger at 28, it’s entirely possible his own long-term extension to avoid free agency next summer isn’t in the franchise’s best interests. The former Hornet is a solid player in his own right, but like Brooks, he’s never made an All-Star team in his professional career.
The Suns offering big-money extensions to two guys who’ve never reached All-Star status, regardless of their roster fit, could only serve to lock Booker into Western Conference mediocrity for his final prime years.
Owner Mat Ishbia has made it clear the team’s intent is to continue building around Book, who reached the NBA Finals in 2021. But if they do that by locking in teammates who only put the team’s ceiling at play-in tournament level, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Booker change his tune by requesting a trade where he has a better chance to win a championship.
The impending free agency of Brooks and Bridges will force the front office to make interesting choices. Do they extend one or both of those guys, lurching further into luxury tax territories while potentially not getting the same level of production as they age? Or do they use the cap space their expiring salaries create to move in a different direction around Book?
Regardless, Gregory needs to wait and see how the new-look roster performs together before any decisions impacting the future are made. But to truly do right by Booker, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, the front office needs to do everything in its power to get him back to the NBA Finals.
As it stands, that’s not going to happen if his best teammates aren’t All-Stars.
Add us as a preferred source on Google