By Luke Adams | at July 23, 2026 3:03 pm
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at an introductory press conference for offseason trade acquisition Miles Bridges, Suns general manager Brian Gregory said the team conducted a “thorough evaluation” of the forward’s history of off-court transgressions, including a felony domestic violence charge that resulted in a plea deal and three years of probation, and didn’t make the decision to trade for him lightly.
“We also looked into was there accountability taken? Was there remorse? Was he growing as a person off the court?” Gregory said, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “When we put all those together, we came to the conclusion and feel very, very, very strongly about the fact that he does and will live up to the standards that we have here. That he is a good cultural fit, and character fit.
“The basketball piece, obviously, we knew, but when you combine those two together, then we felt very, very comfortable, and comfortable isn’t even the right word. We were excited. We were excited about what he could bring and then we went from there.”
Bridges said he was in counseling “for years” after facing those initial domestic violence charges in 2022. He was a free agent for the entire 2022/23 season while the case played out and then was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2023/24 season after pleading no contest and re-signing in Charlotte.
“It’s mixed feelings about me being here, but, you know, I take full responsibility, you know, my actions,” Bridges said. “I’ve been to counseling. I’ve been to therapy. Right now, I’m just prioritizing, just being better as a man every day, on and off the court, mainly off the court and just being a great father and earning the trust of this fan base and this community. I can’t wait to get started. I’m very excited.”
We have more from around the Pacific:
Asked about Phoenix’s willingness to give up an unprotected 2033 first-round pick in the trade with Charlotte, Gregory said the team felt “very comfortable” parting with that pick for a player of Bridges’ caliber, per Rankin. The Suns‘ general manager noted that the team received a separate first-rounder in the deal (a 2029 pick with “least favorable” terms) and expressed confidence that “we’re always gonna be good,” meaning that unprotected selection should be in the back half of the first round.
Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area believes **LeBron James**‘ and Jimmy Butler‘s overlapping skill sets would make the duo an awkward fit if James were to sign with the Warriors and Butler were to return from his ACL tear later during the 2026/27 season. It may be a moot point, since Golden State is said to be pessimistic about its chances of landing LeBron, but Poole suggests it’s another reason why a potential Butler/Anthony Davis trade has become such a popular subject of speculation.
Previous reporting suggested the Warriors considered a deal for Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. at the 2026 trade deadline but decided not to pull the trigger. Within a larger story this week about James’ looming decision, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports cites sources who say that head coach Steve Kerr, specifically, was opposed to the Porter trade in February.
The Lakersannounced their preseason schedule earlier this week, revealing that they’ll play road games in Sacramento and Golden State on October 5 and 6 to open their preseason slate before hosting the Kings on Oct. 8 and the Nuggets on Oct. 16. They’ll also face the Warriors at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Oct. 13.
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