Suns Bet a 2033 First-Rounder on Miles Bridges. Now He Has to Deliver.
Trading away Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale forces Jordan Ott to rebuild his rotation before the regular-season opener in Portland.
Phoenix surrendered Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a first-round pick in 2033 to pull Miles Bridges out of Charlotte this offseason. That is not a depth move. It is a franchise committing its remaining draft capital to fix a roster that Oklahoma City dismantled in four games last spring.
The Suns went 45-37 in 2025-26. They clawed through the Play-In Tournament only to get swept by the Thunder. Second-year head coach Jordan Ott now has to build a rotation around Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and a 28-year-old forward who spent his entire career as the focal point of a rebuilding Hornets team.
Bridges averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists across 77 games for Charlotte last season. He shot 46 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from three. Those are solid numbers for a secondary option. They look different when attached to the price tag Phoenix paid.
Former NBA head coach Tyrone Corbin told NEXTPredict’s Kyle Odegard recently that the league underestimates what Bridges brings. “Miles Bridges is way better than people give him credit for,” Corbin said. “He’s going to have a huge impact on the team.”
Corbin also pointed to Booker’s evolution. The five-time All-Star enters his 11th season having survived another front-office teardown. “Booker is mature now,” Corbin said. “He’s understanding more every year with these changes what it takes to have a chance to win. He’s going to get his numbers.”
Trading two rotation players for one creates immediate math problems. Allen and O’Neale provided specific functions—shooting and perimeter defense—that stabilized lineups around Booker. Bridges offers more creation and rebounding. His best statistical stretch came in 2023-24, when he posted 21 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists over 69 games while shooting 34.9 percent from deep.
The Western Conference leaves no room for adjustment periods. San Antonio reached the conference finals last year. Oklahoma City won the 2025 title. Phoenix finished Friday’s preseason slate at 1-4 after dropping a 119-116 decision to the Utah Jazz.
Ott opens the regular season Wednesday, Oct. 21, against the Portland Trail Blazers at 7 p.m. PT.
