Miles Bridges' Mission? Get Devin Booker a Championship

PHOENIX -- New Phoenix Suns forward Miles Bridges and Devin Booker grew up less than a couple hours away from each other in Michigan, but never really crossed paths until the NBA.

Still, Bridges has a lot of respect for the Suns' franchise icon and has one goal in mind after being traded to Phoenix last month from the Charlotte Hornets.

"As soon as I got in the league, he kind of embraced me," Bridges said of Booker in his introductory press conference Wednesday. "I played against him. I talked to him after the games. We followed each other on social media, and I've always been a fan of Book.

"He's always been a great player, probably one of the most underrated players in the league. But, I'm excited to play with him, and I feel like if anybody deserves it, I think Book deserves a ring. So I'm ready to go to war with him every day and try to accomplish that goal."

Miles Bridges' Ties to the Suns

Bridges is expected to slot in to the starting power forward spot alongside Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams, who he played with in Charlotte.

Bridges is also one of several members of the organization who have ties to Michigan State, where was an All-American in the 2017-18 season after spending two seasons there from 2016-18, averaging 17.0 points and 7.6 rebounds across 62 games.

Some of the Suns' other Spartan ties are highlighted by owner Mat Ishbia, who was a walk-on for the Spartans from 1999 to 2002, general manager Brian Gregory, who was an assistant for MSU from 1990 to 1996 then rejoined the staff under Tom Izzo from 1999 to 2003 and later was a consultant, and coach Jordan Ott, who started his coaching career as a video coordinator under Izzo from 2008 to 2013.

Bridges is excited to team up again with Williams, be around his MSU connections and also build camaraderie with his new teammates.

"Mark was one of the first people to text me when when when he seen the trade happen. He's been very excited. I'm excited to be reunited with him," Bridges said. "I was with (Gregory) my freshman year of college (when he was a consultant), so it kind of makes it easier.

"It's a lot of guys in this organization that I grew up with. Mateen Cleaves, he's here (as a player development and leadership coach). I was just working out with him earlier, and it was like a full-circle moment from me being a kid, working out with Mateen to now us being in the same organization.

"And it's good having like great teammates and great vets in Book and Dillon. They've been making the process easy as well. I spent a lot of time with all my teammates in Vegas (at Summer League), and I have love for all of them already. So I think it's going to be easy for me to adjust here, and I'm happy to be here."

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