Miles Bridges clears confusion on Los Angeles Clippers rumors

As everyone likely remembers, the early parts of this offseason were very hectic for the LA Clippers. From the moment the team bowed out in the first round of the playoffs, everyone knew that Paul George's decision to re-sign with the Clippers or not would set up everything else that occurred in LA's offseason.

When George did ultimately depart Los Angeles, it led the front office making some quick and timely moves to acquire talent. The result was a roster that was no longer in disrepair, but many still wondered if they needed another star-level player alongside Kawhi Leonard.

That is where Miles Bridges comes in. The Charlotte Hornets' forward was a free agent over the summer, and some suspected the Clippers could try to swoop in with an offer. But when Bridges signed a three-year, $75 million deal to return to the Hornets in July, the bidding war was officially over.

Miles was relatively sought-after at both the February trade deadline and during the free agency period this year. There were many reports coming in about which teams were interested in him and which ones were not, and it may have felt a bit confusing trying to keep up with all the rumors surrounding him and the Clippers.

Miles Bridges confirmed the Clippers had interest in him

Fortunately, Bridges cleared up those rumors this week in an interview with the Charlotte Observer's Rod Boone (subscription required). When asked about how much of the Clippers talk was accurate, Miles did confirm he had drawn interest from LA, especially after Paul George's departure.

"Yeah, the Clippers are a great organization," said Bridges. "They wanted me, the Cavaliers wanted me. But at the same time I was just trying to see what was the best fit for me, and what would make me and my family happy."

Testing the waters during the free agency period obviously makes a lot of sense. Miles could have been very effective in Ty Lue's system, and his combination of scoring power and athleticism would have been a big boost to a team headed up by two aging Hall-of-Famers.

But in the end, it is hardly a surprise that Bridges would want to return to the franchise that drafted him. Interestingly enough, Miles was nearly a Clipper way back on draft night when he was selected by LA with the 12th pick in 2018. He was of course subsequently dealt to Charlotte.

Bridges has come close to donning the Clippers uniform on a few occasions now. Perhaps the two parties will cross paths in the future, but it seems that Miles is content with the Hornets for now.