Hornets deny contract negotiations with Miles Bridges after his domestic violence arrest
Miles Bridges hasn't played this season, and is still a free agent after his arrest in June
Warning: The following article contains graphic allegations of domestic violence.
The Charlotte Hornets apparently aren’t working on a new deal with Miles Bridges after all.
The Hornets denied this week that they were in contract talks with their former forward, who was arrested in June on a domestic violence charge.
“We have not been engaged in contract negotiations with Miles Bridges,” the Hornets said in a brief statement, via the Charlotte Observer.
That statement came nearly two weeks after a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski stating the opposite, and that the two sides were “gathering traction” on a new deal that could come in the “relative near future.”
It’s unclear why the Hornets chose to address the rumors now rather than last month when they first surfaced, or even at all — as many franchises simply choose to stay quiet about rumored deals either until they are done, or they fall apart.
Either way, though, it seems that Bridges won’t be returning to Charlotte.
Bridges is currently a free agent and hasn’t played this season. He was arrested in June, the night before he was set to hit free agency, on a count of injuring a child’s parent and two counts of child abuse.
A day after his arrest, Bridges’ wife shared disturbing images on Instagram that detailed the alleged abuse in graphic detail — which included her saying she sustained a fractured nose and wrist, a torn eardrum, torn muscles in her neck, a “severe concussion” and a claim that she was once choked until she “went to sleep.” Her post, which has since been deleted, showed photos of her injuries and a medical report, and included a video in which her son asked “Did Daddy choke Mommy?” on a video call.
Bridges pleaded no contest to a felony charge of domestic violence toward a spouse or other cohabitant in November, and the other two counts of child abuse were dropped. He was also issued three years probation. Bridges’ wife reportedly has a 10-year protective order against him, and the two share custody of their two children.
Bridges is still a free agent, and the league is still investigating the incident. It’s unclear how long of a suspension he will face if he signs with a new team.
If you or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 with free, anonymous help by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), texting “START” to 88788 or online at thehotline.org.
