Charlotte Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak taps the brakes on Miles Bridges mania

Of course Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak is happy with how rookie Miles Bridges performed in the preseason. But he’s concerned about the unrealistic expectations that might prompt.

Bridges, a forward picked 12th overall out of Michigan State, averaged the most minutes among Hornets in five preseason exhibitions. (24.8). He averaged 12.4 points and six rebounds and his shooting was remarkable: 56 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point range. That has caused enough of a stir among some fans that there have been questions about whether Bridges should start.

Tap the brakes, Kupchak said, reminding that the regular season is very different.

“He had that one big game (23 points against the Boston Celtics) and I thought he played well in Dallas, too, but it’s preseason,” Kupchak said Monday. “When you start to play against veterans in games that are real, there is going to be a learning curve.”

Hornets coach James Borrego initially planned to limit Bridges to one position in the preseason — small forward — but Bridges absorbed coaching so quickly that Borrego also used him at power forward and some small-ball center in the exhibitions. Borrego is still figuring out his minutes mix on the second unit, but Bridges clearly has earned Borrego’s confidence so far.

“I know he’s a competitor, I know he’s coachable, I know he fits athletically. I don’t think there’s any question there,” Borrego said. “It’s just does he have the ability within a game to make adjustments, to know (the nuances of) who he’s guarding, to not get frustrated from play-to-play.

“Those are the challenges for a rookie. But he looks the part, he fits the part. Every challenge we’ve put in front of him, he’s answered the bell.”

Borrego said he’s still in the process of establishing a rotation, and it could take several weeks or longer for that to solidify.

Other key points from Kupchak’s media availability before Wednesday’s season-opener against the Milwaukee Bucks:

Last roster spot

The Hornets still have an open roster spot against the NBA maximum (15, plus two filled two-way player slots). Kupchak said that as of Monday morning he hadn’t seen anyone cut by another team that he thought clearly could help the Hornets. He also said he didn’t anticipate the Hornets being involved in any trades over the next few weeks.

Kemba status

Inevitably, Kupchak was asked about All-Star point guard Kemba Walker’s free-agency next summer. He reiterated: “Our hope is that Kemba ends his career in a Hornets uniform, and that’s the end of it.”

Under NBA rules it’s realistically impossible for the Hornets to sign Walker to a new contract before he reaches free-agency in July. Walker addressed the situation the day before training camp, saying he wants to stay a Hornet, adding that’s the last time he plans to talk about it to media through the season.

Asked Monday about this situation being unresolved, Kupchak said, “If we play well, and we’re fun to watch and we win games, everything will take care of itself. That’s really the bottom line in this business.”

Playoff pursuit

Kupchak reinforced that he understood when he took this job that the Hornets were a veteran team with minimal salary-cap flexibility under the luxury-tax threshold in the short run. So he’s comfortable with an agenda of chasing a playoff spot now, rather than overseeing major change.

“If you have a lot of veteran players, then you’re looking to make the playoffs,” Kupchak said, later adding, “typically, a team that is expected to win games doesn’t have much cap flexibility.”

Weaknesses

Kupchak said rim-protection and rebounding are still areas of relative concern.

The Hornets’ shooting will play a factor in how much rebounding affects them. “You don’t have to rebound as much when you shoot the ball really well,” Kupchak said.

Ball-movement

Kupchak said it’s good the Hornets have bought into Borrego’s emphasis on ball-movement and trusting each other, but that doesn’t negate the need for the top players, such as Walker, to take over at crunch time.

“There is a reason some players are paid more than other players,” Kupchak said, “because they bring certain things to the table that other players can’t.”

This story was originally published October 15, 2018 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak taps the brakes on Miles Bridges mania."