The Charlotte Hornets and the Phoenix Suns completed a major trade tonight that sent Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick (the least favorable among the Jazz, Timberwolves, and Cavaliers), and a 2029 second-round pick to Phoenix for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and a 2033 unprotected first-round pick to Charlotte.
The Suns have clearly lost some floor spacing with this trade, but have added an extremely athletic lob threat who could give them 20 points per game on a nightly basis. Let’s take a look at the depth chart of the Suns after making this trade.
Point Guards: Devin Booker, Collin Gillespie, Jamaree Bouyea,Â
Shooting Guards: Jalen Green, Jordan Goodwin, Amir Coffey
Small Forwards: Dillon Brooks, Haywood Highsmith
Power Forwards: Miles Bridges, Ryan Dunn, Koa Peat, Rasheer Fleming
Centers: Mark Williams, Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach
The Phoenix Suns’ Starters
The new acquisition, Miles Bridges, will likely be the power forward in the Suns’ starting lineup alongside Devin Booker (point guard), Jalen Green (shooting guard), Dillon Brooks (small forward), and Mark Williams (center). His addition gives the Suns a much more athletic frontcourt than before.
Bridges’ ability to score at all three levels, finish in transition, and defend multiple positions would ease the burden on Devin Booker and the Suns’ primary playmakers. His off-ball movement and improved three-point shooting make him a seamless fit alongside Phoenix’s stars, while his rebounding and defensive versatility address two inconsistent areas.
Adding Bridges also allows the Suns to deploy switch-heavy defensive schemes without sacrificing offensive production, creating a more balanced and physically imposing starting five.
The Phoenix Suns’ Bench
Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, two of the Suns’ most dependable role players, were traded to the Hornets, leaving Phoenix with a thinner bench. It would be difficult to replace Allen’s elite three-point shooting and O’Neale’s defensive versatility, which have been essential parts of the Suns’ second unit.
Their reserves would lose crucial floor spacing, perimeter defense, and veteran experience, even though Miles Bridges would bolster the starting lineup. Bench depth could be an issue for the Suns later in the season, who now have only two small forwards on their roster.
After a first look at this team, they seem to be a team that may struggle with team chemistry initially, as they have a lot of young players at their core.
But with the balance of two solid offensive options in Devin Booker and Jalen Green, combined with Miles Bridges, Dillon Brooks, and Mark Williams’ defensive IQ, the Suns could make it to the first round of the playoffs.
However, I don’t see them doing more than that down the stretch of the 2026-27 season. It will be fascinating to see if they can prove my prediction wrong.
