Miles Bridges, Warriors
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Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets responds to trade rumors linking him to the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors’ expanding search for wing help has placed them squarely in the middle of the NBA’s deadline rumor mill — and now one of the players linked to them has publicly weighed in.
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, who has drawn interest from several contenders ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, addressed the speculation surrounding his future this week, acknowledging the uncertainty while reiterating his preference to remain in Charlotte.
Speaking to The Charlotte Observer’s Roderick Boone, Bridges said he has learned to tune out trade chatter that surfaces nearly every season.
“Just focus on winning, focus on controlling what I can control,” Bridges said. “If I get traded, if I don’t get traded… I would rather be here. But I know if I do get traded, I know Jeff Peterson and those guys, they’ll talk to me first. So I don’t try to worry about that. I just worry about the games.”
Warriors Among Teams Monitoring Miles Bridges Trade Market
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Warriors are among a growing list of playoff hopefuls that have registered interest in Bridges as the deadline approaches.
“As for Hornets that might be on the move, veteran forward Miles Bridges is drawing significant interest, league sources told The Athletic,” Amick reported Friday. “The Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns are all known to be among the interested parties, though it remains to be seen if any team can compel the Hornets to give Bridges up.”
The interest underscores Golden State’s increasingly complex roster calculus following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL injury and with Jonathan Kuminga’s long-term future unresolved.
Why Bridges Fits Warriors’ Wing Needs
Miles Bridges, Jimmy Butler, Warriors
GettyMiles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler.
Bridges, 27, remains one of the more productive and versatile wings potentially available. He is averaging 18.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists this season and is coming off a 20-point performance in Charlotte’s 119–115 win over Washington on Saturday.
While his 33.4 percent shooting from three-point range has limited his efficiency, Bridges offers athleticism, positional versatility and downhill scoring — attributes the Warriors have lacked consistently on the wing. He is capable of defending multiple positions, attacking closeouts and playing in transition, all traits that would complement Stephen Curry in Golden State’s motion-heavy offense.
Contract Structure Makes Deal Feasible — Picks Do Not
From a financial standpoint, a deal is workable.
Bridges is earning $25 million this season and is on a descending contract that drops to $22.8 million next year, making him more movable than many long-term salary commitments. Golden State could theoretically match that figure by using Kuminga’s $22.5 million salary along with a smaller contract.
But matching salaries is only part of the equation.
According to Amick, draft compensation remains Charlotte’s primary ask.
“They want a first (round pick),” one league source told The Athletic. “Maybe two.”
Golden State controls up to four future first-round picks, but the front office has consistently resisted parting with premium draft capital unless a clear franchise-altering opportunity presents itself.
Off-Court Considerations Add Another Layer
Any pursuit of Bridges also carries off-court considerations that league sources say remain part of the evaluation.
Bridges faced domestic violence charges in 2021, a case that was later dropped but still resulted in a 30-game NBA suspension following the league’s investigation. Since returning, he has rebuilt his career largely outside the national spotlight in Charlotte, but executives believe that would change quickly if he were moved to a high-profile franchise.
An NBA executive told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney that Bridges remains a difficult calculation for many teams.
“You can decide if you want him as a player, but there are places where it’s just not going to be pretty if you trade him there,” the executive told Deveney. “He is still too toxic for a lot of places. Your owner is probably going to need to be convinced that there won’t be backlash and that he has fully apologized. You’ve got to be ready for negative PR, and that is a factor in anyone making a trade for him.”
For Golden State, those concerns matter. The Warriors have historically prioritized organizational culture and ownership alignment under Joe Lacob, making any deal with reputational risk subject to scrutiny beyond basketball value alone.
Jonathan Kuminga Remains Central to Deadline Conversations
Any Warriors trade discussion inevitably circles back to Kuminga, whose name continues to dominate league chatter.
Despite being reinserted into the rotation after Butler’s injury, Kuminga remains focused on a potential exit, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
“Sources have told me that Kuminga has no desire to remain with the Golden State Warriors,” Haynes said Thursday on NBA on Prime. “He is very much hoping that he will be dealt by the deadline.”
Haynes added that Kuminga’s relationship with head coach Steve Kerr remains strained, describing it as “fractured beyond repair.”
Whether Charlotte would have an interest in Kuminga remains unclear. Leaguewide belief is that the Warriors may ultimately hold him through the deadline if acceptable value does not emerge.
As the clock ticks down, Bridges represents both opportunity and complexity — a potential on-court upgrade wrapped in financial, cultural and public-facing considerations that the Warriors must weigh carefully before making their next move.