Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges made his first public appearance after missing all 82 NBA games last season following his conviction for assaulting the mother of his children in the presence of minors, a felony for which he was sentenced to three years’ probation.
The 25-year-old broke his silence after signing a one-year, $7.9 million contract with the Hornets, who decided to give him a second chance after inexcusable behaviour towards his family.
Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said outgoing majority owner Michael Jordan and incoming owners Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall agreed unanimously to give him a new contract.
Bridges was given a 30-game suspension (10 for the 2023-24 season) by the NBA, which then determined that he will miss only 10 games of the new season, waiving the other 20 after he missed all 82 games last season.
Kupchak said the decision was based on independent investigations by the NBA and the Los Angeles Police Department, as well as the team’s five-year personal relationship with Bridges, a first-round pick in the 2018 draft and who has played four seasons in Charlotte.
“I want to apologize to everybody for the pain and embarrassment that I have caused everyone, especially my family,” Bridges said.
“This year away I’ve used to prioritize going to therapy and becoming the best person I can be, someone that my family and everyone here can be proud of.”
Sincere remorse
Kupchak is aware that some Hornets fans will not like the decision to award a new contract to a convicted abuser, but highlighted the fact Bridges should be given a second chance.
“You have to make a judgment, right?” Kupchak said. “Is this sincere remorse? Is this sincere accountability?
“It is not something that is easy to judge. We took all of those factors into consideration and ultimately gave him a second chance.
“Obviously it is a polarizing topic. Everybody may not agree. It’s a tough situation to be in.”
Bridges also promised to rebuild relationships with his teammates and become more active in the Charlotte community before thanking the Hornets and the NBA for giving him a second chance.
“Yes, I understand that some people don’t think I deserve a second chance,” Bridges said. “That’s why I am trying to use this year to prove to everybody the person that I am. Who is Miles Bridges? It’s not what people think he is.”
Regaining trust
Kupchak stressed that his return to the team means he has to regain the trust of his teammates: “He understands that even though his teammates are happy to have him back, there is some trust that needs to be earned back.”
In the 2021-22 season he averaged a team-high 20.2 points and a team-high seven rebounds, suggesting he would sign a multi-year, $100 million-plus free-agent contract.
But a few days before the start of free agency, the mother of his children posted pictures and accounts of Bridges’ alleged physical abuse on her Instagram account.
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