Suns defend Miles Bridges acquisition as owner reveals forward was top offseason target

Miles Bridges was the Phoenix Suns’ top target during the offseason, according to team owner Mat Ishbia.

“Miles was a target,” Ishbia told Arizona Sports‘ Burns & Gambo at Suns Media Day. “We looked at what could we potentially get with a first-round pick or even two first-round picks, and a player that can impact our team, be a starting power forward for us and make an impact right away. The truth is, he was the No. 1 target. How do we go get him? And we end up getting him.

“We’ve liked him for years because he just fits. He’s athletic, he’s tough, he rebounds. He guards the other team’s best player.”

Phoenix acquired the 28-year-old forward from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, along with an unprotected 2033 first-round draft pick. As part of the deal, the Suns also received a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. The 2029 selection is the least favorable pick among Cleveland, Minnesota, Utah and Charlotte, which was previously sent to the Hornets in a prior trade involving center Mark Williams.

Ishbia envisions Bridges creating a high-level defensive tandem alongside point-of-attack defender Dillon Brooks.

“From Charlotte, he guarded the other team’s best player every game,” Ishbia said. “You got him and Dillon point-of-attack defenders, can guard one through four. We feel really good about that. He can do a lot of stuff, and (head coach Jordan Ott is) going to figure out how to work with him the best way, but I feel really good about that decision. Now, it’s got to play out. Let’s see how it plays out this season, but we feel really good about it.”

While the Suns view Bridges as a seamless fit on the court, his acquisition comes following past legal troubles off it.

Bridges pleaded no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in November 2022 after being arrested in June 2022 and charged with one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse. The woman, who was Bridges’ wife at the time, posted social media photos of her injuries and a hospital report detailing a nasal fracture, severe concussion, rib contusion and neck muscle strain.

His plea agreement included three years of probation, 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling, 52 weeks of parenting classes, 100 hours of community service, weekly narcotics testing and a 10-year protective order requiring him to stay 100 yards away from the woman.

In late 2023, while serving a 30-game NBA suspension, Bridges was accused of violating that protective order during a custody exchange by kicking a vehicle and throwing pool balls at it while the woman and children were inside. Bridges turned himself in, but all charges were dropped in February 2024 due to inconsistent victim statements, according to court documents obtained by The Charlotte Observer. Bridges issued a public apology in July 2023.

Suns CEO says team did due diligence prior to acquiring Miles Bridges

Speaking on Wolf & Luke, Suns Chief Executive Officer Josh Bartelstein emphasized that the organization completed extensive due diligence prior to making the move.

“A thousand percent,” Bartelstein said. “We don’t take any of those decisions lightly. So first, he has to own what he did. And Miles will be the first one to tell you that. He knows what he did, and it was a huge mistake. And then he has to earn back the trust, and he’s earned it back in Charlotte through his actions off the court by being a better man, by putting himself through therapy and treatments to be who he is. So we believe in that. We spent a lot of time looking into that.”

Bartelstein shared Ishbia’s optimism regarding Bridges’ impact on the floor, while making clear the organization’s expectations away from basketball.

“Once you trust the person because who they are, the basketball piece of it we think will be a seamless fit,” Bartelstein said.

“He’s an explosive athlete. You can feel his presence. He’s dynamic. We want to play downhill, attack the rim, be able to guard multiple positions. He’s going to dunk on your head at times. So we think he’ll be a great addition to our team.

“We think he’ll be a really good addition to the community, too. But on the community piece, from Day 1, one he’s got to earn it because that’s how it’s given, and two, he knows we have a standard. He’s going to meet that standard every single day.”

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