Miles Bridges suspension: Charlotte Hornets' forward to miss first 10 games of 2023-24 season
One of the underlying storylines this NBA season was the status of Miles Bridges. The Charlotte Hornets standout was in the middle of some impressive on-court growth and had become a key part of the franchise's long-term plans before this was derailed due to his off-court issues.
Bridges officially pleaded no contest to felony domestic violence charges, which means he accepts the punishment without admitting guilt. He was sentenced to three years of probation, but no jail time, as part of the deal with prosecutors.
Bridges was accused of assaulting his then-girlfriend in front of their two children in May. The two counts of child abuse charges were dismissed.
While the legal process played out regarding the situation, Bridges remained off the basketball court. The 25-year-old was en route to signing a max contract this offseason before off-court issues derailed this.
He did not sign an NBA contract this year but has reached a conclusion in the legal process and has now been handed a 10-game suspension from the NBA ahead of the 2023-24 season.
The NBA is suspending Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges for 30 games – with 20 games considered already served, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. So Bridges will serve 10-game suspension for start of 2023-24 season.
Officially, the suspension is for 30 games with 20 games already considered to be served. Miles Bridges must also go through 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling, 52 weeks of parenting classes, and serve 100 hours of community service due to the legal punishments. He will also undergo regular narcotics testing and must pay a number of fines.
What is the impact of Miles Bridges' suspension?
Domestic violence has rightfully become a major concern in professional sports, but the NBA has been surprisingly light on punishment. Only three players have been suspended for domestic violence since 2007.
Jeffery Taylor was suspended 24 games after pleading guilty to domestic abuse charges, while Darren Collison received just eight games and Willie Reed was forced to sit out for six.
A number of players have been accused of similar actions and have not been disciplined by the league at all.
It is also confusing how the NBA landed on the number 20 for games already served by Bridges as he did not suit up at all this year.
The Hornets struggled greatly without the Michigan State product. They finished just 27-55 on the season and 13 games out from the play-in tournament. Miles Bridges was a key part of their success last year, averaging 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
It will be interesting to see how the Hornets plan to bring Miles Bridges back into the fold and what the reception will be for the forward. Domestic violence is a sensitive subject for many and not an easy thing to be forgiven for.