The Phoenix Suns traded for Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets as the newest piece of their roster in the offseason. It was barely a surprise, considering the team was repeatedly linked to the player before acquiring him. As a proven scorer and solid defender, he fills an immediate need for a team building around Devin Booker. But his talent was barely a concern during his introductory press conference. It was his personal life that stole the spotlight.

Bridges has a troubled past. He pled no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in 2022, and the Suns didn’t shy away from that. GM Brian Gregory told reporters during the press conference that the team was okay with giving him a chance despite “unacceptable conduct that has occurred in the past.” He explained that Bridges would have to earn the trust of Suns fans.

“Those questions are part of his story,” Gregory added. “He’s dealt with them before, and he’ll deal with them today as well. I think those questions—we were aware of and we knew about—and that’s why we took this decision so seriously.”

Similarly, Bridges seemed to understand that some fans remain skeptical, but took responsibility for his actions.

“It’s mixed feelings about me being here,” he told reporters. “But I take full responsibility for my actions; I’ve been to counseling, I’ve been to therapy. Right now I’m prioritizing just being better as a man every day, on and off the court. Mainly off the court.”

Bridges also added that his first priority is earning the respect of the locker room and making the environment comfortable for his teammates, something that will eventually reflect on the court. He also thanked the Hornets, his previous team, for giving him a second chance after his legal issues.

All that said, general manager Brian Gregory’s confidence in Miles Bridges extends beyond the basketball court. It is due to his familiarity with the forward. They have known each other for a decade, dating back to Bridges’ time with the Michigan State Spartans, when Gregory was a consultant for the college.

Plus, the Suns have ties to the Spartans outside of the two of them. After all, owner Mat Ishbia played for them in the late 90s.

Those ties are perhaps why Gregory and the Suns decided to make a trade for him from Charlotte, where he spent the last seven seasons of his career. They gave up wing contributors Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, as well as a 2033 first-round pick.

GM says Phoenix weighed how good a fit Miles Bridges is

The on-court fit makes a lot of sense for Bridges. He averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists last season on league-average efficiency while being a decent defensive player.

“It was just a perfect fit for us,” Gregory said. “Everything that we’re about as a team when it comes to how you feel when you watch us play — the grit, the energy, the toughness that we play with, the competitiveness we play with, Miles Bridges brings that every single day when he walks out on the court.”

Only time will tell how Bridges’ time in Phoenix goes, but both he and the team know that his biggest challenge begins away from the hardwood, building trust with both fans and teammates. After all, there has been skepticism about him since 2022.

He was arrested in June 2022 for felony child abuse and injuring a child’s parent. The league had him sit out while the case was pending. In the end, the player pleaded no contest.