Pistons may pay extra attention to Miles Bridges when Hornets visit

The Detroit Pistons could have as much as $60 million in salary cap space this offseason. One of their rumored targets is Charlotte forward Miles Bridges.Detroit will get a first-hand look at Bridges when it hosts the Hornets on Monday night.Bridges will be eligible for unrestricted free agency after he signed a qualifying offer last offseason. He was headed for a big free-agent payday two summers ago, but legal issues related to domestic violence allegations marred his career.Bridges didn’t play at all last season and was suspended for Charlotte’s first 10 games this season. Bridges, who attended Michigan State, has been a model of consistency on the court since returning.In 53 games (51 starts), Bridges has averaged 21.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.The Hornets lost 112-100 to the Washington Wizards on Friday, their sixth consecutive defeat, despite 32 points and 12 rebounds from Bridges. Charlotte ended the skid on Saturday by beating the Brooklyn Nets 110-99.Bridges supplied a team-high 24 points and added 10 rebounds and four assists.”The one thing about Miles is … (he played) 39 minutes (Saturday), second night of a back-to-back, I think he played 40 last night, and he plays every play. He takes no plays off,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “He’s into it, he knows what we’re doing and he’s all-out. … You want guys that compete every night, and he does it.”Charlotte had several other major contributors in the win over the Nets. Rookie Brandon Miller had 23 points and seven rebounds, point guard Vasilije Micic notched 12 points and 10 assists and center Nick Richards delivered 15 points and 11 rebounds.”It’s a good opportunity for him,” Clifford said of Richards. “He’s getting to play big minutes. He’s playing against starters a good majority of the time. You’ve got to remember he really didn’t get minutes as a pro until last year, so he needs this.”The Hornets closed out the game by holding the Nets to 17 points in the fourth quarter.

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