Miles Bridges proclaims: “I might be back in March”
By W.B. Whitted
Editor’s note: This piece contains a description of a domestic violence incident with a link to corresponding photos.
At halftime of the Michigan State vs Indiana game, Miles Bridges spoke to the Associated Press and told them, “I might be back in March”. Bridges hasn’t played this season after he was arrested on felony domestic violence and child abuse charges. He has since pleaded no contest to a felony of injuring a child’s parent. Pleading “no contest” essentially means that he accepts an agreed-upon punishment without the court rendering a guilty verdict.
In this case, the punishment included 52 weeks of anger management, 52 weeks of parental counseling, as well as 100 hours of community service. Bridges’ girlfriend and mother of two of his children, posted on Instagram intimating that she was sent to the hospital after the attack by Bridges. In the post, she said she suffered a concussion, facial fracture, and rib injury among other ailments.
What’s next for the NBA and Miles Bridges?
Very little from the NBA has publicly been said about Miles Bridges and his status as a restricted free agent. This constitutes the first time Bridges has publicly given a timeline (albeit tentative) for his return to the NBA. For their part, the Charlotte Hornets have not engaged in a conversation about Bridges since he was arrested, only that they notified the media that they were aware of the issue and would not comment further because it was an ongoing legal matter.
Bridges was coming off a season that saw career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists. His play garnered lots of interest for the restricted free agent. The NBA hasn’t disclosed if they were going to do a separate investigation, or if they were close to ruling on any suspension for Bridges moving forward.
Article VI and Sections 15 and 16 deal with the discipline of player conduct. Specifically, what the league will do in cases of arrest and domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. The league isn’t mandated to punish Bridges simply because he was arrested. The league will put together a three-person panel to evaluate the situation after what will likely be an investigation by the NBA.
No such investigation has been admitted to publicly by the league. And they have certainly not announced any discipline. Bridges may be reporting on what has been told him, or what he hopes will occur.
Only time will tell how accurate Bridges’ forecast will be. Or how accepting the fans of the team he plays for will be of him.