Adam Silver defended the decision by the NBA to suspend Miles Bridges for 30 games with a 20-game credit applied to this past season in which he was without a contract.
Bridges was arrested in June when he was accused of hitting his girlfriend in front of their children. Bridges pled no contest to a felony domestic violence charge.
On Tuesday, Silver said the league and Bridges had a “mutual agreement” that he would not play during the 22-23 season.
“The process (with Bridges) was that we worked with his representatives and the players association that he sat out the entire season,” Silver said. “And so we felt, on the balance, that because he had sat out an entire season and not been paid for an entire season, that we thought in fairness that would give him partial credit, I think, for having sat out that season.”
Bridges will lose 30 games of pay next season, even though his suspension will only keep him out of 10 games if he signs a new contract. Players are typically credited for games only when they are eligible and available to play.
Bridges’s punishment has been criticized by some reporters and by fans on social media.