Hornets’ Miles Bridges faces more domestic allegations, clouding his future on and off the court

By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hornets forward Miles Bridges’ latest legal issues have clouded his future on and off the basketball court.

A criminal summons that was issued Wednesday for Bridges accuses him of violating a protection order stemming from a domestic violence case that derailed his career last year. The summons also includes accusations of misdemeanor child abuse and injury to personal property. In addition, a warrant for a protection order violation was issued for Bridges in January, although it has not yet been served, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office told The Associated Press.

Bridges is currently serving three years of probation after pleading no contest in exchange for no jail time in the June 2022 domestic violence case involving the mother of his two children, who accused Bridges of assaulting her in front of the children.

Bridges also must adhere to a 10-year criminal protection order for the woman, weekly narcotics and marijuana testing, and restitution, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

Three criminal incident reports involving Bridges were obtained by the AP from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

The first one from Jan. 2 indicates Bridges contacted a person who has an active protection order against him. The second report from March 18 states Bridges and the person were in the same establishment, but at different times. And the third from Oct. 6 accuses Bridges of damaging the person’s property and violating a restraining order.

The AP does not normally identify alleged victims unless they have granted permission for their name to be used.

Messages left for Bridges’ attorney were not immediately returned.

Bridges is currently serving a 10-game suspension from the NBA to begin the season. It remains to be seen if Bridges could face further discipline from the league.

NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the league has been in contact with the Hornets and is gathering information.

Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak declined comment on the situation through a team spokesperson, referring to the statement released by the team Wednesday that said they’re in the process of gathering more information.

The Hornets did not know about the pending warrant in July prior to signing Bridges — then a restricted free agent — to a one-year, $7.9 million contract.

It’s unclear if Bridges’ latest legal entanglement could lead to an arrest and jail time. It’s also unclear why the warrant hasn’t been served after being issued in January.

Typically, deputies aren’t able to make contact with an individual until the warrant has been served, according to a Mecklenburg County sheriff’s spokesperson.

Bridges has been in the Charlotte area practicing with the team since August and even held a news conference where he apologized for the “pain and embarrassment” caused by the initial domestic violence investigation. He also attended the Hornets media day last week at the Spectrum Center and has been practicing with the team in training camp.

According to a team spokesperson, Bridges is currently in Washington, D.C., ahead of the Hornets’ preseason game against the Washington Wizards on Thursday night.

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