Reports: Hornets nearing contract extension with Miles Bridges

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Charlotte Hornets and forward Miles Bridges are nearing an agreement on a new contract.

If and when the two sides come to terms on a deal, Bridges will almost assuredly be faced with a suspension, as Woj notes in his second Tweet.

There’s no word yet on what kind of suspension Bridges would be facing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes him through the end of the season, meaning he’ll rejoin the team for the summer.

Bridges is also on probation for his crimes for the next three years with a number of conditions. There’s a good chance there will be provisions in the contract that are focused on his legal situation and off court conditions. It appears Bridges and his representation are aware of the optics of the situation, as Woj notes in his article:

Bridges and his representatives with Klutch Sports have been in consistent contact with the Hornets organization, and the sides are working together on Bridges’ plans to work with local domestic violence groups and community organizations to start reacclimating himself to the Charlotte community.

The Hornets will have to navigate the PR blowback of signing a player who was accused of (and pleaded no-contest to) a pretty heinous crime. Bridges will surely provide a huge on court boost to the team assuming this goes through, but the situation is much more complicated than that.