The NBA brawl proves Suns need to abandon this trade target

A recent 110-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets for the upstart Detroit Pistons (the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference) was tempered by a ugly fight that broke out.

After the dust cleared, four players were ejected from the game, including reported Phoenix Suns trade target Miles Bridges.

Bridges threw a punch during the battle with Detroit, which could (and should) lead to a lengthy suspension for Charlotte’s talented forward.

Leading up to this year’s trade deadline, it became clear that the Suns were looking to upgrade their power forward position. It’s a position without much depth for Phoenix, who have mostly played Royce O’Neale and Dillon Brooks at fourth in small-ball lineups this season (with great results, to their credit).

Sam Amick of athletics (subscription required), reported in late January that the Suns were among the teams interested in Bridges before the trade deadline. Suns owner Mat Ishbia put the kibosh on these rumors, but didn’t seem to deny the team’s reported interest by Amick.

Speaking The Zach Lowe Show podcastIshbia was asked (indirectly) about Bridges and the Suns’ reported interest in acquiring him via trade.

“I’ll tell you, I know that guy you’re talking about, and he’s a great player and a winner on the court,” Ishbia said. But he added: “There is nothing going on at the moment.”

As others reported, the Suns likely didn’t have enough trade bait to acquire Bridges regardless of the interest rate level. Charlotte reportedly wanted one or more first-round picks in exchange for him, an asset the Suns have been short of in recent years in their next blockbuster moves to acquire Kevin Durant, Brad Beal and Mark Williams.

Suns fans should be thankful that Bridges rumors didn’t go any further than that

Besides his latest involvement in a brawl that will likely sideline Bridges for an extended period of time, the Michigan State product (another hint as to why Ishbia’s Suns want him on their radar) has a track record that should actively lead him to avoid more controversy.

Bridges has faced several legal problems in the past following a domestic violence arrest in June 2022. That arrest led to a no-contest plea, probation and a 30-game suspension from the NBA. Bridges ultimately remained sidelined for the entire 2022-2023 season.

In October 2023, Bridges was criminally charged for an alleged violation of the protective order resulting from his previous conviction according to Mecklenburg County court records. Bridges was also charged with child abuse stemming from another alleged domestic violence incident.

Now that the blows have been struck and another suspension lands, it’s even more clear that the Suns need to move on from Bridges (unless his first name is Mikal) as a moving target.

Brooks was the culture changer during his first season in Phoenix. The Suns play a tough, gritty brand of basketball and their defense has improved significantly as a result. But their Achilles heel remains their hotheadedness.