The Charlotte Hornets have reached an agreement to retain forward Miles Bridges, confirming reports from sources including Shams Charania of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The new contract will see Bridges remain with the Hornets for the next three years, with the deal valued at $75 million and lacking any team or player options.
Last offseason, Bridges opted to accept the Hornets’ qualifying offer of $7.9 million as a restricted free agent. During the 2022-23 NBA season, he showcased his talents across 69 games, averaging impressive statistics of 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. His shooting efficiency stood at .462 from the field, .349 from three-point range, and .825 from the free-throw line. Notably, Bridges negotiated for veto power over any potential trade involving him, signaling his commitment to the team and his desire to remain in Charlotte.
This decision was driven not only by financial considerations but also by Bridges’ expressed preference to continue his career with the Hornets. The team’s new leadership, spearheaded by Jeff Peterson as head of basketball operations, was equally eager to secure Bridges’ services for the long term. Negotiations between Bridges’ representatives and the Hornets progressed over the initial days of free agency, culminating in the recent agreement.
On the court, Bridges has proven himself as a valuable asset with his scoring prowess, physical attributes, and positional flexibility as an NBA forward. However, his off-court history, particularly concerning allegations of domestic violence, likely impacted his market value in free agency. These incidents have cast a shadow over Bridges’ career, despite his legal outcomes and the resolution of multiple legal challenges.
The most significant legal issue stemmed from allegations of assaulting his then-girlfriend in the presence of their children, resulting in Bridges entering a plea of no contest to one felony count related to injuring a child’s parent. This plea deal, accepted in November 2022, spared him from jail time but included three years of probation.
As a consequence, Bridges faced a 30-game suspension from the NBA, although he ultimately served only 10 games as he remained out of the league during the 2022-23 season while legal proceedings unfolded. Subsequent charges related to another incident were dismissed in February due to insufficient evidence.
Throughout this period, the Hornets retained Bridges’ $15 million cap hold on their financial books during the early stages of free agency. This strategic move allowed the team to utilize its available cap space to pursue other roster improvements before turning its attention to re-signing Bridges using his Bird rights, a mechanism that permits teams to exceed the salary cap in order to retain their own free agents.
In summary, the Hornets’ decision to commit $75 million over three years to Miles Bridges reflects both their confidence in his on-court contributions and their belief in his potential for growth as a player. Simultaneously, the agreement underscores the team’s awareness of and approach to the challenges and controversies surrounding Bridges’ personal history. With the contract now finalized, both Bridges and the Hornets will look ahead to the upcoming NBA season, aiming to build on their partnership while striving for success on and off the court.
