Suns introduce Miles Bridges, defend decision to add him after domestic violence issues
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PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns forward Miles Bridges appears to be a good fit for his new team on the basketball court, giving it a beefy frontcourt presence who has scored at a high level over seven NBA seasons.
The problem is his troublesome off-the-court history — including pleading no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in 2022 — has mostly overshadowed his arrival.
The 28-year-old Bridges said he’s very aware that some Suns fans aren’t thrilled that he’s now with the franchise.
“It’s mixed feelings about me being here,” Bridges said during his introductory press conference on Wednesday. “But I take full responsibility for my actions, I’ve been to counseling, I’ve been to therapy. Right now I’m prioritizing just being better as a man every day, on and off the court.
“Mainly off the court.”
The Suns acquired Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick in exchange for guard Grayson Allen, foward Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-round pick in a trade on June 28.
Gregory, Bridges have long relationship
Suns general manager Brian Gregory said the franchise felt comfortable bringing Bridges to the desert despite his “unacceptable conduct that has occurred in the past.”
Gregory’s relationship with Bridges goes back roughly a decade to when the GM was a consultant at Michigan State and Bridges was a freshman with the Spartans. The Suns’ ties with the Michigan State are deep — owner Mat Ishbia was a walk-on player for the Spartans in the late 1990s and early 2000s, while coach Jordan Ott spent time with the program as a video coordinator from 2008 to 2013.
Gregory said he’s confident that Bridges has grown since his arrest, but that he would have to earn the trust of the Suns’ fans.
“Those questions are part of his story,” Gregory said. “He’s dealt with them before and he’ll deal with them today as well. I think those questions — we were aware of and we knew about — and that’s why we took this decision so seriously.”
Bridges was arrested in June 2022 on the eve of free agency on charges including felony child abuse and injuring a child’s parent. The NBA forced him to to sit out while his legal case was pending and he ultimately pleaded no contest.
Bridges was suspended for 30 games in April 2023 by the league but received a 20-game credit because he missed the entire 2022-23 season. Bridges also faced three charges for an alleged violation of a domestic violence protection order on Oct. 6, 2023, before the case was eventually dropped.
Bridges’ on-court role
From a basketball perspective, it’s easy to see why the Suns thought Bridges would be a good addition.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pounder averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season for the much-improved Hornets, who made it to the play-in tournament but fell just short of the NBA playoffs. He’s also a versatile defender and rebounder who can play multiple spots.
“It was just a perfect fit for us,” Gregory said. “Everything that we’re about as a team when it comes to how you feel when you watch us play — the grit, the energy, the toughness that we play with, the competitiveness we play with, Miles Bridges brings that every single day when he walks out on the court.”
Bridges joins a Suns core that includes five-time All-Star Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and Mark Williams. Phoenix was one of the league’s surprise teams last season, winning 45 games and making the playoffs despite trading superstar Kevin Durant during the previous offseason.
Bridges said he was grateful to the Hornets for giving him a second chance after his legal issues. He said it’s his job to not only earn the trust of the fans, but also his new teammates.
“I definitely want to earn the trust of my teammates first,” Bridges said. “Making the locker room comfortable, having guys that want to be around me … is huge. And that definitely goes into on-the-court stuff.”
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AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina contributed to this story.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba