CHARLOTTE (CHARLOTTE SPORTS LIVE) — Forward Miles Bridges is eligible to return to the Charlotte Hornets active roster on Friday after serving his NBA suspension, the team announced.
“We are comfortable with Miles returning to play based on our current understanding of the facts of the recent allegations and remain in contact with the NBA as that matter proceeds through the court process,” the Charlotte Hornets said in a statement on Thursday.
Bridges spoke to the media on Thursday following the Hornets’ announcement.
“I mean I know a lot of people feel a (certain) way of me being back. I understand that. Like I said before again, I have to get their trust back. I’m just going out there looking out there to play,” Bridges said on Thursday. “I feel if I can get us more wins, I feel like people’s perspective will change a little bit on me.”
Bridges, who is charged with a domestic violence protection order violation, misdemeanor child abuse, and injury to personal property, had his case continued on Monday to February 20, 2024.
A criminal summons was issued on Oct. 11, 2023, for Bridges, tied to allegations he violated a domestic violence protective order, according to Mecklenburg County court records.
The order involves the mother of his children.
“We are aware of the reports and are in the process of gathering more information,” the Charlotte Hornets said to Queen City News back in October.
The criminal summons are tied to an incident that occurred on Oct. 6, and a Mecklenburg County arrest warrant that was issued in January that had not been served.
January’s criminal summons states Bridges violated a protective order that had been granted on Nov. 3, 2022. It states Bridges continually contacted the victim via social media and by phone.
The criminal summons, filed in October, states that on Friday, Bridges “unlawfully and willfully did knowingly violate a valid protective order” issued on May 11.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said the victim reached out on Oct. 10, and reported the Oct. 6 incident that happened in the 2500 block of Springs Drive in south Charlotte.
It states during a custody exchange, Bridges allegedly threw pool table balls at the victim’s vehicle, smashing the windshield and denting the car. The summons also states Bridges threatened the victim, stating that ‘if she told the police, he would take everything from her and withhold child support.’
The criminal summons states that Bridges threw the pool table balls at the vehicle while the children were inside the car. It states the vehicle window was smashed, and Bridges’ current girlfriend was screaming and kicking the victim’s vehicle while the children were inside it, leading to the misdemeanor charge of child abuse.
Damage done to the victim’s vehicle was in excess of $200, leading to the misdemeanor charge of injury to personal property.
Bridges also has a separate charge from January for violating a domestic violence protective order by continuing to call and reach out to the victim using social media.
The 25-year-old forward was suspended for 30 games without pay by the NBA after a domestic violence incident in Los Angeles on June 27, 2022, after Bridges was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including child abuse.
He never played last season and had a 10-game suspension to start the 2023-24 campaign.
Bridges, who signed a one-year, $7.9 million offer from the Hornets over the offseason, said he wanted to apologize for the “pain and embarrassment” he caused.
During a Charlotte press conference in July, he elaborated on his gratefulness for a second chance.
“A lot of people don’t get a second chance, so I wanna use this to prove I’m the same kid they drafted five years ago,” Bridges said.
As part of the California plea deal, Bridges will undergo counseling, perform 100 hours of community service, and remain on probation for three years.
Bridges will make his return Friday night against the Bucks.
