Hornets’ Bridges Signs Qualifying Offer – Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges has inked a $7.9 million qualifying offer for the 2023-2024 season, making it possible for him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports told ESPN on Sunday.
When talks broke down on a new deal, Bridges’ decision to halt negotiations and stop pursuing an offer sheet or sign-and-trade deals as a restricted free agent sets up the possibility that the Hornets could lose a 20 point a game scorer without getting anything in return for next season, and he could just walk out the door.
After signing the qualifying offer, Bridges, 25 years old, has veto power over any trade this season.
Bridges negotiations were made more difficult by a felony domestic violence incident and a plea of no contest that led him to miss the entire 2022-2023 season. Bridges will be forced to sit out the first 10 games because of an NBA suspension.
Before his arrest a year ago centering on a domestic violence incident against the mother of his two children, Bridges had been a restricted free agent on the precipice of a $100 million-plus deal. The NBA’s suspension, levied against him in April, was for 30 games but the league decided that 20 of those had already been served in his lost season.
Bridges was accused of assaulting his then-girlfriend in front of their two children in May 2022 and he was arrested a month later. He pleaded no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in November. As part of a deal with prosecutors, he was sentenced to three years’ probation. The no-contest plea meant Bridges was accepting the conviction and punishment without formally admitting guilt.
Bridges had a coming out party in 2021-2022, averaging 20.2 points, 7 rebounds and 3.8 assists and he helped the Hornets advance to the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. The Hornets had planned to make Bridges a franchise cornerstone along with franchise point guard LaMelo Ball, but that became a moot point in the aftermath of the domestic assault case.
Charlotte wanted to bring back Bridges on a new contract, but Bridges and his camp did not believe there would be the forward momentum necessary to reach what they believed was still his market value.
Ball agreed to a five-year, maximum contract that could be worth $260 million on Friday night, his agent told ESPN. The Hornets are still negotiating with restricted free agent forward P.J. Washington on a new deal for him.
Also…
Jazz, Clarkson Finalizing Extension – Guard Jordan Clarkson is finalizing a three-year, $55 million contract renegotiation and extension with the Utah Jazz, sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday.
The deal cannot be finalized until Thursday. The news was first reported by The Athletic.
Clarkson had a career year in his age 30 season for the Jazz, averaging nearly 21 points and 4.4 dimes while shooting 44.4% from the field. He helped lead the way for a Utah team that surprised many by being in the mix of the Western Conference playoff race for the lions’ share of the season.
Clarkson can score from anywhere on the court, dominated in the paint and was among the league leaders in drives per game at 15.6, according to NBA.com, and shot nearly 70% within 3 feet of the rim. Combined with his pull-up shooting, he knocked down 34% of his pull-up 3-point attempts last season, Clarkson has shown the ability to consistently put defenses on notice.
While a full-time starter for the Jazz this past season, Clarkson has mostly thrived in a reserve role throughout his career. His 15.2 points per game of the bench is the highest average of any player with at least 300 games played off the bench since starters were tracked in 1970-71, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Clarkson won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2020-21.
And…
Suns Agree to Deal with Gordon – Free agent Eric Gordon has agreed to a two-year deal, including a player option, with the Phoenix Suns, his agents, Aaron Mintz, and Steven Heumann of CAA Sports, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Sunday.
The deal is for $6 million over the two years, sources told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Gordon, 34 years old, became a free agent after the Los Angeles Clippers chose not to guarantee his $21 million contract last week. The move saved the team over $100 million on its projected tax bill.
Gordon had significant interest on the market after he was waived and was one of the top free agents remaining. He averaged 11 points and 42.3% shooting from distance in 22 regular-season games with the Clippers, who acquired him from the Houston Rockets at the February 9 trade deadline.
The Suns have reshaped their roster in the opening days of free agency, adding a number of new players that provide much needed depth, which was their Achilles heel last year, around their core of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Deandre Ayton. Gordon gives them another shooter and ball handler with extensive playoff experience.
It is a full-circle move from 2012 when Gordon signed a four-year, nearly $60 million offer sheet in Phoenix before it was matched by the New Orleans Pelicans.
