Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford said forward Miles Bridges will have a big role with the team immediately upon returning from his 30-game suspension Friday.
"I think he'll be ready to play. He's in practice every day. So he's been well organized when he's there," Clifford said before the team's loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday, according to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. "He's in really good shape. He's worked hard."
Clifford said he hasn't thought about how much time Bridges' will play in his first game.
"That's under worry about tomorrow's problems. ... But he will have a significant role right away," Clifford said.
Bridges, then a free agent, was suspended in April after he was arrested last year for a domestic violence incident involving the mother of his children. He pled no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in November 2022 in exchange for three years probation and no jail time.
The NBA deemed Bridges served 20 games of his suspension last year, as the forward did not play in the 2022-23 campaign and would only need to serve the remaining 10 games at the start of this season. The Hornets signed him to a one-year, $7.9-million qualifying offer in July.
In October, Bridges turned himself in to police after an arrest warrant was issued for an alleged protection order violation stemming from the domestic violence case.
Bridges holds career averages of 13.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
