Miles Bridges’ return gives Hornets immediate jolt

NBA

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, who signed a one-year, $7.9 million contract on July 2, said he’s thankful the organization gave him a second chance after pleading no contest to a domestic assault charge in Los Angeles.

After over a year of uncertainty and speculation, Miles Bridges is back with the Charlotte Hornets.

Bridges, 25, signed the Hornets’ $7.9 million qualifying offer on July 2 as the two parties could not agree on a long-term deal. Bridges has not been on an NBA court since April 13, 2022, after pleading no contest to felony domestic violence.

As part of the sentencing, Bridges agreed to a three-year probation period without jail time, 100 hours of community service and a calendar year’s-worth of domestic violence counseling and parenting classes. Bridges is also banned from owning dangerous weapons and is subject to a 10-year protective order that prohibits contact with the victim.

The original suspension passed down by the NBA was slated for 30 games. But after missing all 82 regular season games in 2022-23 without pay, the league has cut Bridges’ suspension to just the first 10 games of the 23-24 season.

Bridges made his first public statement since turning himself in to police last June.

“I’d like to apologize to everybody for the pain and embarrassment that I caused everyone, but especially to my family. This year away, I’ve used it to prioritize going to therapy and becoming the best person I can be,” he said. “Someone that my family and everybody here can be proud of. I want to thank the Hornets organization and the NBA for giving me a second chance.”

According to Hornets’ general manager Mitch Kupchak, it was a unanimous decision by owner Michael Jordan and the team’s new ownership-in-waiting to bring Bridges back.

“The decision to extend the qualifying offer took a lot of time to sort through. A lot of measured thought with ownership and people in the organization,” Kupchak said. “Our relationship with Miles goes back five years. Talking to Miles this past year, whether it was ownership, myself or our coach, him showing remorse and accountability and indicating to us that this would never happen again – and I believe Miles when he says that.”

Bridges is on the roster for the 2023-24 season and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, meaning he can sign with any team and the Hornets would not have a chance to match the offer. It was reported that Bridges turned down a four-year, $60 million deal before the 2021-22 season, and his expected annual salary in free agency was upwards of $30 million prior to his arrest.

But according to Bridges, he wants to remain in Charlotte and mend the relationship with the team and city.

“I want to be in Charlotte,” Bridges said. “This is where I got drafted and where I grew into a man. Like I say, I would love to be here. A lot of people don’t get a second chance, and I want to use this second chance to prove to everybody that I’m the same kid that you drafted five years ago. I’m just happy to be back, and I can’t wait to get this year started.”

Signing the qualifying offer gives Bridges a chance to prove his on-court worth, potentially opening the door for a much larger contract next offseason. It also reunites him with the face of the franchise and one of his best friends, LaMelo Ball, who recently inked a five-year extension worth up to $260 million.

What does it mean for the Hornets?

It means that Charlotte is re-inserting a fringe All-Star caliber player into the rotation.

Bridges was the Hornets’ leading scorer and defensive rebounder in the 2021-22 campaign, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds per game on 49/33/80 shooting splits. He was in consideration for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award after jumping from 12.7 points to 20.2 points per game, but the league ultimately gave the award to Ja Morant – who was already a superstar.

Bridges, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound wing, also provides a huge athleticism boost to the starting five, with the ability to throw down “Sports Center” Top Play-worthy dunks and lob passes from Ball. While known for his above-the-rim, Eric Collins-triggering emphatic highlights, he can also stretch the floor. The best ability is availability, and Bridges led the Hornets in games played in two of the past three seasons that he played, including 80 starts in 2021-22.

A 34.6% career three-point shooter, Bridges is a streaky but respectable floor spacer. His career-best season beyond the arc came in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, where he shot 40% on 4.4 attempts per game. The Hornets made just 10.7 threes per game without Bridges last season, ranking in the bottom five of the NBA.

Defensive improvements and roster additions lead Bridges to believe that Charlotte could break its seven-year playoff drought.

“I feel like I can still fit in,” he said. “I feel like we’ve gotten better. I’m the same player or even better than I was before. We had a worse record last year, but at the same time, with the players we have now, I feel like we’ve gotten better defensively. In all my years with the Hornets, we haven’t been that good defensively. I see last year that we took a step in that direction. I feel like once everybody is back and we’re healthy, we could be a playoff team.”

Bridges adds value on the court, but there’s absolutely risk in the equation.

The risks involved

From a strictly basketball standpoint, the one-year deal was the right move for both sides. A multi-year agreement would have been a huge risk for an organization that has continuously been in the news for players facing criminal allegations in the past five years.

But just as Kupchak and the Hornets’ brass did their due diligence with first-round draft pick Brandon Miller’s situation, Bridges has been a much longer, drawn-out process.
“Throughout this process, we have taken a measured and serious approach,” Kupchak said. “Several factors played a part in our decision to bring Miles back, including the conclusion of the legal process, the results of the NBA’s investigation and Miles’ commitment to counseling and community service.”

For Bridges, he’s now learning a new system under coach Steve Clifford. Bridges’ last game in a Hornets uniform – an embarrassing 132-103 loss against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021-22 play-in round, in which he was ejected – was also former head coach James Borrego’s last game.

Now, Bridges’ fit in a crowded frontcourt featuring Miller, Gordon Hayward, Bryce McGowens, and Cody Martin is to be determined.

“I’ve talked to coach Cliff,” Bridges said. “We’ve been building a relationship and I’m excited to play for him. He’s a great coach and he’s been in the game a long time. I’m excited to learn from him and continue to grow our relationship.”

If Charlotte gets the Bridges from 2021-22, he’s the clear starter and second-best player on the team, which would put the Hornets right back in postseason contention.

As expected, the fan base has expressed frustration and angst towards Bridges and the organization’s actions. Mending that relationship will take plenty of time and commitment from the player and team.

“I will be around the community a lot,” he said. “Not because I have to, but because I want to. Being away for a year made me realize that I wasn’t in the community like I should be. I have a name; people know me, and kids look up to me. Just for me to be around, that will be big for them.”

Whether or not Bridges returns to his high level of play, this is a trial run for the Hornets and a second chance for Bridges.

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