Suns finalise Miles Bridges trade with Hornets as picks also change hands

The Phoenix Suns have completed their trade for Miles Bridges, turning the move into an official roster change with Charlotte sending Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to Phoenix while the Suns send Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and their own 2033 first-round pick to the Hornets. Source 1Source 2Source 3 Both teams confirmed the deal in official statements, and Bridges is expected to wear No. 22 in Phoenix. Source 1Source 3

What happened

Phoenix and Charlotte completed the trade on 13 July 2026, with NBA.com’s transaction tracker and reports from Hoops Rumors and Yahoo Sports all listing Bridges as the headline player moving to the Suns. Source 1Source 2Source 3 The asset split is central to the deal as well, because the Hornets also sent Phoenix a 2029 first-rounder and a 2027 second-rounder, while Charlotte received Allen, O’Neale and the Suns’ 2033 first-round selection. Source 1Source 2Source 3 Hoops Rumors reported that the 2029 first-round pick is the least favourable of Charlotte’s, Utah’s, Minnesota’s and Cleveland’s selections, with Minnesota’s pick carrying top-five protection. Source 2 The same report said the 2033 first-rounder going to Charlotte is Phoenix’s own unprotected pick. Source 2

Yahoo Sports also carried a statement from Suns general manager Brian Gregory, who said, "Miles has established himself as a highly productive player whose game continues to evolve." Source 3 Phoenix also said Bridges’ athleticism, strength and versatility can impact the game on both ends and fit the team identity Gregory described. Source 3 The Suns separately thanked Allen and O’Neale for their contributions and wished them well in their future endeavours. Source 3

Why it matters

For Phoenix, the trade brings in a forward coming off averages of 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists across 77 appearances for Charlotte in the 2025/26 season. Source 2Source 3 It also changes the club’s financial picture, with Hoops Rumors projecting that the move cuts roughly 30 million US dollars from the Suns’ luxury-tax bill. Source 2 That combination of incoming production, outgoing rotation pieces and added draft capital stands out for a Phoenix team that finished seventh in the Western Conference at 45-37 last season. Source 1Source 4 HFC Data also listed the Suns with a +120 point differential across their 82 regular-season games. Source 4

For Charlotte, the return includes Allen, O’Neale and Phoenix’s unprotected 2033 first-round pick, and it ends Bridges’ spell with a Hornets team that finished 44-38 and ninth in the Eastern Conference last season. Source 2Source 5 The fact that this is the fourth trade between the Suns and Hornets since January 2025 also shows how often these clubs have done business with each other. Source 2 There is recent on-court context between the teams too, as Phoenix and Charlotte split their two 2025/26 regular-season meetings, with the Suns winning 111-99 on 8 March before the Hornets won 127-107 on 3 April. Source 6

What's next

With the trade now processed, Bridges is expected to join Phoenix wearing No. 22 after the Suns’ last recorded game of 2025/26, a 131-122 home loss to Oklahoma City on 28 April. Source 3Source 6 Charlotte, meanwhile, adds Allen and O’Neale to its group and takes control of Phoenix’s unprotected 2033 first-round pick as part of its own roster reshaping after a 44-38 season. Source 2Source 5

Notes

One important caveat is that the supplied fact pack confirms the trade terms and the teams’ statements, but it does not include a preseason schedule, a formal introductory availability date for Bridges or any further linked moves. Source 1Source 2Source 3 Another detail worth tracking is the exact eventual value of the 2029 first-rounder, because Hoops Rumors specifies that Phoenix is receiving the least favourable selection among several teams’ picks rather than a single fixed slot today. Source 2