Phoenix Suns are interested in trading for troubled Charlotte Hornets center Miles Bridges amid a transition from a previous ownership group that had findings of racism and misogyny, outlined in a story by ESPN's Baxter Holmes.

Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia has four values, one of which is culture. That would be under question if the team trades for Bridges, who is in the middle of a domestic violence case procedure.

Bridges is on a one-year, $7,921,300 deal. There is a reason for that.

The 25-year-old, who is a standout basketball player, is not a good human being. Bridges was suspended for the first 30 games this season — he was credited for 20 since he missed all of 2022-23 —  and could have more of a fallout.

Bridges in summer 2022 pleaded no contest to a felony domestic issue. He was sentenced to three years probation but appears to have violated it three times, including in October when he allegedly threw billiard balls at his ex-wife's car.

Each incident occurred on his wife/girlfriend in front of his two children.

He also missed the 2022-23 season and violated a probation and protection order in October even with an outstanding warrant.

Bridges is on a one-year, $7,921,300 deal. There is a reason for that, and he may even leave the Suns following the season.

That is not tolerable behavior, especially after a Sarver-led ownership fallout.

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is described as one of the most influential players in the NBA because of his excitement, athleticism and flair. Unfortunately, a gun on an Instagram camera tends to pick up more backlash than that of Bridges, who in October violated a probation order and has a court date in February.

I asked fans their thoughts on Bridges, who gives off the vibe of being past the issue when it is clearly something that he finds more substantial to partake in than his NBA career, which is promising still.

The answers were mostly in favor of Bridges coming to the Suns.

 

Ishbia is a great owner. He has brought the Suns a winning team and been maybe the best owner in professional sports at promoting women and empowering them to have the best facilities. Ishbia is Jewish and tends to be very straightforward in his beliefs.

I get it. The Suns have not won a championship. I grew up here and know what it would mean for Phoenix's basketball team, which is its most loved sports franchise, to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy.

It's my job to report the truth and that's the point of this article.

So let's break it down.

Bridges' case

Bridges is one of the most exciting players in the NBA.

In 2022, that excitement was at a peak. He averaged 20.2 points and 7.0 rebounds, by far numbers that would have netted him a $173 million, if he got what he and his agent asked for, per Bleacher Report.

Bridges was instead arrested that summer. He was charged with three felonies for assaulting his wife in front of his children.

Again, Bridges, who said he would get the trust back from Charlotte's organization, allegedly violated his protection order.

Yes, unfortunately, his children were in the car.

Connection

The Suns have a connection to Bridges. He, who played at Michigan State, seems to have a relationship with majority owner Mat Ishbia, who won a national championship with the Spartans in 2000. Ishbia's friend Mateen Cleaves, who had a rape case in 2015, is from Flint. Cleaves played basketball at Michigan State and could be talking to Bridges.

Ishbia's close friend and former Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas may also be in touch with Bridges.

Ishbia has Thomas in some sort of role according to people familiar with the organization.

Sarver

The Suns recently left an organizational tenure with Sarver in which they were tainted by allegations of racism and misogyny that turned into an NBA investigation, Sarver being fined $10 million and being suspended one season.

Phoenix's ownership has shifted into a much more positive lens. Ishbia is promoting the WNBA unlike any owner in modern history, perhaps across the country. Ishbia has paid $100-plus million into a Suns and Mercury headquarters that includes extensive facilities for the Mercury, including a practice facility. He also invested into coach Nate Tibbetts and general manager Nick U'Ren, who formerly formed the Golden State Warriors' “death” lineup, to make them the highest-paid people in WNBA history at their position.

Ishbia may or may not have a good relationship with Bridges.

Decency

Bridges is not a good person. He has an upbringing from Flint, Michigan, one of the toughest cities in the United States. It has had a water crisis and been noted for its scarcity of good things.

God forgives Miles Bridges, but you'd be hard-pressed to believe the Suns' fans will.

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Bridges is having a great season. He is fighting for his NBA career and no matter where he goes will carry the burden of what he did to his wife and children.

Bridges is going to be booed by Suns fans, if he is traded. Is he going to accept that, or will he retaliate?

That's one of the question I have about this.

The best outcome, as we said, is Bridges will be able to take this opportunity with the Suns, buy into his role and give the team a championship, something greater than his own individual self.

But based on Bridges' actions, he seems to be holding on to some sort of problem that has been more important to carry the burden of than earn a lifetime of money that will support generations of his family. His behavior, which included beating his wife's face so she had a broken nose, a torn eardrum and a significant neck strain, along with strangulation, and throwing pool balls at her car in front of his children — he also allegedly beat her in front of his kids — speaks for the trouble he has in his heart.

If that didn't wake Bridges up, is it reasonable to expect playing for Phoenix will?

Bridges is going to help the Suns succeed if he is traded.

He is one of the game's brightest stars.

But that should not excuse what is gross behavior that can be forgiven but has already forfeited a second chance. This is a third one for Bridges, and he has an opportunity to seize it.

The Suns need to address everything. Bridges' presence will turn off a lot of fans, who are already torn by the team blowing up its core and trading away beloved forwards Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and even Jae Crowder.

It also stands to believe there will be serious discomfort from Suns staff, personnel and game-day employees from Ishbia to bring in Bridges.

The Suns are looking toward the future. They have never won a championship, and Bridges would make them the favorite.

Is that enough to transgress on culture, which would be under fire and dragged through the mud?

It depends. Ishbia's actions will speak.