The Charlotte Hornets are off to a rough start this season. Not only has LaMelo Ball dealt with numerous injuries, but they also haven’t had Miles Bridges, the team’s leading scorer from a season ago, at all in 2022.
Bridges entered the offseason, likely expecting to receive a max contract offer as he hit restricted free agency. The Hornets never had any intention of letting the explosive swingman leave, but they were set to allow the 24-year-old small forward to test free agency, knowing they could match any offer that came their way.
Except, there was one major, unforeseen event that greatly impacted Bridges’ situation and continues to leave a cloud over his playing status.
On June 29, Bridges was arrested on felony domestic violence charges after allegedly assaulting his wife in front of their two children. Bridges was later charged with one felony count of injuring a child’s parent in addition to two felony charges of child abuse. He pled not guilty to all three.
Still, Bridges remains without a team, nearly a month into the NBA season. He’s undoubtedly a talented player who could help several NBA franchises, but clearly, the off-court laundry has been too dirty to dive into.
But make no mistake, teams are certainly monitoring the status of Bridges, from a distance.
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Multiple NBA teams tracking the Miles Bridges situation
According to Shams Charania, there are several NBA teams keeping a close eye on what happens with Bridges. This includes the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers. As noted, Bridges is still technically a restricted free agent and able to sign an offer with any NBA team.
Yet, an ongoing NBA investigation is likely providing caution to those thinking about jumping into the fray. Bridges could very well face suspension from the league from his legal situation from this past offseason.
Obviously, teams wouldn’t be willing to commit to Bridges without understanding where his playing status stands for not only this season but for next year as well.
- Miles Bridges stats (2021-22): 20.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.8 BPG
At his best, Bridges is well worth a salary commanding 10 figures per season, but nobody wants to sign a player who comes with unwanted baggage. This is why teams are doing their due diligence to try and determine just what happened back in June.
It is unknown just when the NBA will conclude its investigation, but if Bridges escapes without penalty, you can be sure teams will be lining up to sign the 24-year-old scorer.
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