Now that we have confirmation on the draft pick terms, the Miles Bridges trade to the Phoenix Suns surpasses Trae Young’s extension as the worst move of the offseason and shows that the Suns have learned nothing from their previous mistakes. For starters, obviously, the team that bellowed “character above all” a year ago just traded for Bridges. But even if his off-court record were pristine, this is brutal work.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia once again let a first-round pick burn a hole in his pocket, trading his 2033 first (unprotected, according to ESPN) within seconds of the pick being eligible to trade. I’m sure it will shock all of you to learn that Bridges went to Ishbia’s alma mater, Michigan State. It’s an impulsive, win-now move from a team that is in no position to win anything important right now. You don’t give up unprotected firsts so you can finish eighth instead of ninth, especially when your future is already mortgaged to the hilt. As a bonus, the Suns got shafted by Charlotte in a trade for the 43rd consecutive time (pour one out for the Nick Richards era) and somehow still keeps making deals with the Hornets. The picks Phoenix got back are window dressing to make the trade look less terrible, but let’s be clear: The Suns got back pennies on the dollar. It’s a 2029 first-rounder that is the least valuable of four teams’ selections (Charlotte, Utah, Cleveland and Minnesota), all of whom project to be pretty good in a few years. Realistically, it will land in the mid-20s. The 2027 second-round pick they got will be the least valuable of four teams’ picks, including Boston, and likely a near-worthless pick in the mid-50s.
All this for what in the end looks like a pretty mild upgrade.
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