Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 NBA Draft trades with the Charlotte Hornets

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Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Trade No. 1: Timberwolves acquire Miles Bridges and Malik Monk from the Hornets

This trade gives the Wolves some intriguing assets in exchange for a pick swap.

Miles Bridges was the third-leading scorer for Charlotte last season, averaging 13 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Though streaky at times, Bridges has shown consistent improvement in his first two seasons in the league, even appearing in the NBA Rising Stars game this season. He has high ceiling due to his athleticism, and the Wolves are in need of depth on the wing.

Malik Monk played a smaller role than Bridges last season, but was a solid contributor for the Hornets, averaging 10 points and two assists off the bench. Monk has also molded himself into one of the teams’ better defenders, and the Wolves are in desperate need of defensive help after being one of the worst defenses in the league last season.

There have been many rumors suggesting that Miles Bridges would be a key piece in a trade up with Minnesota, and as Rod Beard of the Detroit News says, the Wolves could swing an additional piece on top of Bridges in a trade back with Charlotte.

This rumor that the #Hornets are willing to trade up to No. 1 to get James Wiseman is gaining some steam ... seems like a good deal for the #Wolves, who still would get Ball/Edwards at No. 3, plus some other assets (maybe Miles Bridges, plus some)
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) November 10, 2020

For the Hornets, this trade would certainly be a gamble. Sacrificing a starter and a key role player to select Wiseman is certainly risky given the question marks surrounding Wiseman, including his health and lack of game experience after playing just 3 games in college.

However, we have seen franchises transform from calculated risks in the draft before, and if the Hornets truly believe that Wiseman is their guy, this trade makes a lot of sense.

For the Wolves, this is a way to cash in on their lottery luck. Acquiring a starting small forward in Bridges and a defensive guard in Monk would make a big difference in terms of shoring up their depth. Additionally, this leaves a real chance that the Wolves could get the top player on their board at No. 2 instead of at No. 1.