Miles Bridges joins Phoenix Suns to help Devin Booker win NBA title

Miles Bridges joins Phoenix Suns to help Devin Booker win NBA title

The Phoenix Suns have added forward Miles Bridges to their roster, a move aimed at providing the support necessary for Devin Booker to secure an NBA championship. Bridges, who entered the league in 2018 as the 12th overall pick out of Michigan State, was introduced at the team's practice facility on July 22.

Bridges and Booker share roots in Michigan, though they did not connect while living in the state. Bridges is from Flint, while Booker grew up in Grand Rapids. Their relationship developed after Booker moved to Mississippi for Moss Point High and Bridges began his professional career.

"Soon as I got into the league, he kind of embraced me,"

Miles Bridges, forward, via thefalconswire.usatoday.com

Bridges expressed a desire to help Booker, who has reached the NBA Finals previously but has not won a title. After spending seven seasons with the Charlotte Hornets without reaching the playoffs, Bridges believes he can help Phoenix achieve that goal.

"I feel like if anybody deserves it, I think Book deserves a ring. So I'm ready to go to war with him every day and try to accomplish that goal,"

Miles Bridges, forward, via thefalconswire.usatoday.com

Fit and Roster Construction

Suns general manager Brian Gregory described Bridges as a perfect fit during the July 22 introductory press conference. Gregory indicated that the organization is viewing the acquisition in terms of future teams in Phoenix, suggesting a long-term presence. Bridges is currently in the final year of a three-year, $75-million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 season. He remains eligible for a three-year extension worth up to $86 million over the next five to six months.

The Suns' projected starting lineup will likely feature Jalen Green and Booker in the backcourt, with a frontcourt consisting of Bridges, Dillon Brooks, and 7-footer Mark Williams. A competition for the power forward spot exists between Brooks and Bridges; Brooks is 6-6, while Bridges is 6-7, though both weigh 225 pounds.

Coach Jordan Ott utilizes an offensive system centered on player movement, ball movement, and cutting. Bridges, who has averaged at least 20 points in three different seasons, believes he can grow as a defender and rebounder under Ott's leadership.

Addressing Team Weaknesses

The acquisition of Bridges follows the trade of 3-point shooters Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen to the Hornets. This move creates a potential void in perimeter shooting, as several projected starters struggled from distance last season:

To mitigate this, the Suns signed Luke Kennard in free agency, who led the NBA in 3-point percentage last season at 47.8%. Collin Gillespie also provides shooting depth, having set a franchise record with 232 made 3s last season, shooting 40.1%.

Defensively, Phoenix struggled with rebounding last season, ranking next to last in the NBA with 30.1 defensive boards per game. The team requires Bridges to return to his previous form of 6.3 to 6.4 defensive rebounds per game, as he averaged 4.9 last season. This is particularly vital since no Phoenix player averaged more than four defensive boards last year; Mark Williams led the team with four.

Bridges is coming off a strong final stretch with Charlotte, where he posted a plus-5.5 over 21 games, helping the Hornets achieve their first winning season (44-38) since 2021-22. While his overall defensive rating for last season was 114.8, ranking 17th on his team, his rating improved to 110.8 (13th on the team) during that final period.