How will Miles Bridges' return impact Charlotte? Looking at Hornets forward's role going forward

Miles Bridges will return to action on Friday when his team, the Charlotte Hornets, hosts the Milwaukee Bucks for the NBA In-Season Tournament. Bridges sat out the entirety of last season amid a domestic violence case, and subsequent suspension. The last time Bridges played in an NBA game was April 10th, 2022, when he was ejected from the Hornets game against the Atlanta Hawks.

As the team looks ahead to his return, questions have been asked about how he will fit into the Hornets team. As coach Steve Clifford recently stated, Miles Bridges will be a welcome addition to the team and he should get plenty of opportunities.

Prior to his domestic violence case and subsequent suspension, Bridges was putting up big numbers for the Hornets. As such, Clifford is eager to play him back into form sooner rather than later, starting with the Hornets' game against the Bucks on Friday.

When looking at their depth chart, several things stand out, notably the injuries to Terry Rozier, Cody Martin, Brandon Miller and Gordon Hayward. Hayward and Miller are listed as day-to-day, and the situation will give Bridges the opportunity to immediately have a big role.

Looking at the Charlotte Hornets' season so far amid Miles Bridges' return

This season, the Charlotte Hornets have struggled, to say the least. Currently, the team sits in 13th place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-7 record that has seen them lose two straight to the Miami Heat and New York Knicks. They will look to bounce back immediately with Miles Bridges returning to the fold.

Of course, his return won't be without controversy. Heading into the big game, Bridges is also hit with two charges for child abuse and damage to private property. The situation also resulted in a warrant being issued for Bridges after he allegedly threatened his ex-girlfriend and damaged her car.

While many have called on the NBA to open an investigation into the situation, the league won't be able to do so until the case goes through the legal system. Once it does, Bridges could very well face yet another suspension.

This would certainly only further damage the Charlotte Hornets' already rocky path to the playoffs. Bridges' return is expected to see the team get a much-needed boost, another suspension would only set them further back.

With the Eastern Conference only getting more competitive this offseason, it's clear that the Hornets will need all the help they can get if they want to make the playoffs. With the franchise sitting 5.5 games behind first place, Miles Bridges' return will be a major point of interest for fans.