Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Mike Sykes
The NBA needs to take a hard look at itself when it comes to how it deals with issues involving abuse. Because, let me tell you, right now? The league doesn’t look great at all.
At the center of this all is the Miles Bridges situation.
Both the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets went well out of their way to give the forward a second chance at having a career. To no one’s surprise, it looks like Bridges has completely blown it.
For those of you who might be unaware, Bridges pleaded no contest in exchange for no jail time following an absolutely brutal and disgusting domestic violence incident involving the mother of his children in June of 2022. As part of the order, Bridges was required to serve three years of probation, adhere to a 10-year protection order for the woman and take weekly drug tests, according to the Associated Press.
After Bridges spent the entire year out of the league, the NBA announced a ridiculous 10-game suspension for the forward in April of 2023 (which, by the way, is a sham in its own right). By July, the Hornets had signed him to a $7.9 million qualifying offer. It was almost like the June 2022 incident never happened.
Now, we’re being forced to live with it again.
Bridges is set to be served a criminal summons for violating a protection order stemming from the 2022 incident. According to the summons, he allegedly threatened the victim during a custody exchange, threw pool table balls at her car while their kids were in the car and threatened the victim to stop her from telling the police.
This allegedly isn’t the first time he’s violated the protective order, either. He turned himself into authorities on Friday for a warrant that was issued in January over another alleged prior violation.
This is a man who, we were told, learned his lesson. The Hornets told us he’d changed. The NBA welcomed him back with open arms as soon as it could. As it turns out, it seems we were sold a false bill of goods.
Miles Bridges is an abuser. And, yes, people deserve second chances. But those second chances are conditional. One has to truly commit themselves to becoming a better person. It’s very clear that, despite the work and therapy hours Bridges put in over the last year, that has not happened with him.
It’s up to the NBA to vet that. It’s up to the league to make sure that this does not happen again. The NBA didn’t do that. Neither did the Hornets. That’s why they both look foolish, feckless and selfish right now.
Unfortunately, that seems to be par for the course when it comes to this league right now. Just a few weeks ago, Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. Nearly a month later he is still a Houston Rocket. He’s been barred from the team, sure, but only because Houston wants to trade him — not cut him.
There’s also Josh Primo, who exposed himself to women in the Spurs organization last year and was cut because of it. This year, he’s an LA Clipper. Oh, but wait! I forgot. He has a four-game suspension to serve now. Surely, that’ll teach him a lesson.
I don’t know what’s going on with the NBA. I don’t know why these punishments are so lax and the league is being so lenient. But I do know that what’s happening right now simply isn’t good enough. That’s why it keeps happening.
The NBA needs to be better.
What in the world is James Harden talking about?
It seems the chaotic version of James Harden we’ve all been waiting to see show up at 76ers camp is finally here.
Harden spoke to reporters on Friday about his future with the team. He was asked about his relationship with Daryl Morey again because, of course, if he’s going to play for this team he’ll have to work with him again.
Harden took things back to square one telling everyone who would listen about how broken their relationship is. Again.
James Harden tells reporters today that the relationship with Daryl Morey can't be repaired: “This is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage. … I wanted to retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 13, 2023
“This is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage. … I wanted to retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans.”
It’s just so hard to take any of this seriously. Harden says he wanted to retire a 76er. That tracks — until you remember very real flirtation with the Rockets all last season.
I’m not saying Harden is wrong for not trusting Morey. We’ve seen how he’s done other players once they’re not useful to him anymore — Harden’s former teammates in Houston could tell you all about that. I just think this is all getting pretty ridiculous.
The trade will come. Harden just needs to hoop until it does. Hopefully, once the season tips off, he’ll be ready and we won’t have to hear about this anymore.
Loan management was a load
At least that’s what the NBA wants us to believe. NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars told The Athletic’s Joe Vardon that load management isn’t supported by data.
Where is the data that supports that conclusion, you ask? No idea. I guess we just have to take Dumars’ word for it.
“Before, it was a given conclusion that the data showed that you had to rest players a certain amount, and that justified them sitting out.
We’ve gotten more data, and it just doesn’t show that resting, sitting guys out correlates with lack of injuries, or fatigue, or anything like that. What it does show is maybe guys aren’t as efficient on the second night of a back-to-back.”
But, Joe, it was only eight months ago that Adam Silver told load management works. So what gives?
Obviously, the NBA is pushing players to play in more games. That’s why the league has a new 65-game minimum award policy and also why there are new player participation rules. We get it.
But just making things up on the fly won’t get anybody on the NBA’s side with this. Sorry, buddy.
Shootaround
— In a surprise twist, it seems that at least one of the Cavinder twins isn’t done with basketball. Mitchell Northam has more.
— The New York Liberty are getting absolutely roasted for dropping the first two games of the WNBA Finals. Meghan Hall has more.
—Speaking of Meghan, she did an awesome interview with the founder of Moolah Kicks that you should definitely check out.
— If you missed Layup Lines on Wednesday, Prince Grimes had you covered with GM Survey takeaways. These are always so fascinating to me.
That’s all for this week, folks. Thanks for reading! We’ll catch up again next week. Peace.
