The Phoenix Suns are interested in a package deal for Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards and forward Miles Bridges, according to two sources familiar with the situation.
Bridges, who is in the middle of a domestic violence case, is someone the Suns covet. He is 25 years old, 6-foot-7 and has potential to fill a “3-and-D” void the Suns need.
Richards, who is reportedly not a target for the Suns, has the potential to fill a backup center role. ClutchPoints reported the Suns’ interest in Richards, though the report is under question by Arizona Sports’ 98.7 FM’s John Gambadoro, who hosts the “Burns & Gambo” Show in the afternoon.
Here are three reasons why the Suns/shouldn’t trade for Richards and Bridges.
Upgrade
The Suns have championship expectations with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Phoenix is 9-3 and on a six-game winning streak in recent contests.
The Suns do not have a point-of-attack defender. Bridges, who missed the entire 2022-23 season, needs to fill a role to take pressure off the three to be the elite offensive players they are.
Richards, if traded, is an upgrade behind starting center Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic’s status in trade talks is unclear, per sources.
Nurkic is the most important player of the Suns’ team outside of Booker, Beal and Durant and maybe the most valuable. If Nurkic is injured, Phoenix would have to rely on wings Keita Bates-Diop, Josh Okogie and Drew Eubanks to fill a rebounding role.
The Suns struggled to rebound in the 2022-23 Western Conference playoffs. Center Deandre Ayton was injured and Phoenix was forced to play Jock Landale in Game 5 and 6 of the semifinal series against the Denver Nuggets.
Talent
Bridges is 25 years old and a few seasons ago was expected to become an All-Star.
Bridges this season is averaging a career-best 20.9 points. He is looking like the $100-plus million player many expected him to be.
Bridges would be an active threat for the Suns on cuts around the rim. He is also a lob threat who can make things easier for Durant, Beal and Booker.
Richards can back center Jusuf Nurkic and be an athletic option the Suns have not had behind their starter.
Championship aspirations
Richards and Bridges are upgrades the Suns are expected to benefit from.
The Suns have the fourth-best odds to win the 2023-24 NBA championship by FanDuel.
Bridges’ domestic violence case
Bridges has an ongoing domestic violence procedure stemming from summer 2022.
Bridges, who violated an order and has a court date Feb. 20, may be distracted from the problem in his life.
