The LA Clippers have been doing their due diligence to this point in the NBA free agency period. They tried their best to keep Paul George, but differing wishes on contract details led to the All-Star wing departing Los Angeles for Philadelphia.
Even so, the Clippers did not hang their heads and feel sorry for themselves. They went out and acquired Derrick Jones Jr. as a high-level role player fresh off a career year in Dallas. Re-signing James Harden and filling out the bench with strong defenders were clear signs to the Clippers' fan base that this team is committed to trying to compete again next season.
Perhaps the most talented free agent left on the market now is the Hornets' Miles Bridges. The athletic forward was connected to the Clippers in several recent reports, and it appears the two parties could be seeking to join forces. However, there is a complication to that scenario actually materializing.
👀 @wojespn on Miles Bridges:
— /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) July 4, 2024
"Charlotte wants to bring him back. They've made him an offer, their new GM Jeff Peterson and their new coach Charles Lee spent time with him, and they're allowing him to go out in the marketplace."
"There are not teams necessarily with cap space… pic.twitter.com/jRli56Udrc
Miles Bridges' negotiations are expected to drag out for several weeks
Appearing on ESPN on Thursday, top NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported on where Bridges currently is with his free agent situation. According to Woj, Charlotte wants to bring Miles back, but they prefer to do it at their desired number of salary dollars and years.
As such, the team is allowing Bridges to explore deals he could reach with other teams, with the understanding that a sign-and-trade can be completed if he finds something desirable that the Hornets are perhaps not willing to pay him. But according to ESPN's insider, negotiations may take a while to formulate, and Woj believes "this one may play out a little bit into the month."
If that indeed ends up being the case, it may be a while before we see the Clippers make another meaningful free agency move. If they are truly committed to the idea of getting Bridges on this roster, it is entirely possible they will have to play the long game and allow Miles to test the open market for several weeks.
But in the end, it could be worth the trouble. Adding Bridges to this team's starting lineup would be a huge win, and would go a long way toward replacing the production lost by Paul George's departure.