Hornets pick up options on Bridges, Monk contracts

Charlotte will control the contracts of young prospects Malik Monk and Miles Bridges through at least the 2020-21 season.

It appears that Malik Monk and Miles Bridges will continue to be Charlotte Hornets through the 2021 season. Unless they're traded, of course.

On Friday, the club announced that they had exercised the options on the contracts for the pair of former first round draft picks. Monk's option was for a fourth year in the 2020-21 season for $5.35 million, while Bridges' option was for a third year in the same season for $3.93 million.

Bridges also has a team option for the 2021-22 season which, if picked up, would be a $5.42 million cap hit for the Hornets.

Monk, 21, was drafted 11th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky. Last season, his second with the Hornets, the 6-foot-3 Arkansas native averaged 8.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 17.2 minutes per-game while shooting 33 percent from behind the arc. So far this season, Monk has tallied seven points and six assists in 37 minutes of play across two games.

Bridges, 21, was drafted 12th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Michigan State University. As a rookie, he posted per-game averages of 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists over 21.2 minutes while shooting 32.5 percent from three-point range. Bridges has started in both of the Hornets' games this season, posting 25 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and four assists in 59 minutes of work.

The Hornets picked up both options a few days in advance of the Oct. 31 deadline. Both Bridges and Monk should get a lot of playing time this season as the Hornets continue their youth movement.