Miles Bridges pleaded no contest Thursday in Los Angeles to one felony count of injuring a child's parent, agreeing to do so in exchange for three years probation and no jail time.
The restricted free agent who spent his first four NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets will also have to complete 52 weeks of parenting classes, 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling and 100 hours of community service as part of the agreement. He had been facing three felony charges — the one he pleaded no contest to, and two others of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.
The charges stemmed from accusations that he assaulted his girlfriend in front of their two children in June, the Los Angeles County district attorney said.
“We believe this resolution was the best avenue to hold Mr. Bridges accountable for his conduct," the district attorney's office said. “We also understand through the victim’s representatives that the victim wanted an expedited resolution of the case. The victim and her representatives were consulted about the proposed resolution and agreed with the outcome of the case."
The charges against Bridges came just before this summer's free agency period started. Bridges was coming off a season where he averaged 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists — all career-bests, numbers that likely would have earned him a major payday.
His NBA future, at least in the short term, remains most unclear. It's possible that he still may face disciplinary action from the league, and it would be difficult for some teams to consider signing Bridges given that the season has started and rosters are full in many cases.
The Hornets said they will “continue to gather information before determining any potential next steps" and declined further comment.
Bridges also must adhere to a 10-year criminal protective order for the victim, weekly narcotics and marijuana testing and restitution for the victim, the district attorney's office said. A restitution hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13.
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Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
