In a surprising turn of events, Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges has been denied entry to Canada ahead of the team's highly anticipated matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. The news was brought to light by local Charlotte radio host Kyle Bailey, who revealed that the Hornets are working to reverse the decision, although it seems unlikely to happen before tip-off.

The reason behind the Canadian government's denial of Bridges' entry remains unclear. However, it is speculated that it may be related to his legal troubles. In June of 2022, Bridges faced multiple felony counts of domestic violence, ultimately pleading no contest to the felony charge of injuring a child's parent. While two of the charges were dropped, Bridges was handed three years of probation and various court-ordered requirements, including domestic violence counseling, parenting classes, community service, and weekly narcotics testing. Additionally, he was prohibited from owning firearms and forbidden from contacting the victim.

The NBA took action in April, suspending Bridges for 30 games due to the aforementioned legal issues. A one-year deal with the Hornets was signed by Bridges in July after going unsigned as a free agent throughout the 2022-23 season, resulting in the league considering 20 games already served. He served the remaining 10 games at the beginning of this season.

Prior to the current NBA season, Bridges was faced with further allegations that included multiple violations of a protective order. On October 13, he surrendered to authorities in connection with an outstanding warrant dating back to January. He was charged separately for child abuse and injury to personal property, which stemmed from an incident where he allegedly threatened his former girlfriend and threw pool balls at her car while their children were present. Bridges was originally scheduled to appear in court for this case on November 13, but the hearing has been postponed until February 20.

Despite these legal challenges, NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated in November during an appearance on Toronto's SportsNet 590 The Fan that the league is comfortable with Bridges continuing to play.

Miles Bridges has been a significant contributor for the Charlotte Hornets this season, playing in 14 games and averaging an impressive 19.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. However, with his denial of entry to Canada, it appears that his presence will be sorely missed in the team's matchup against the Toronto Raptors tonight. The Hornets continue to work towards reversing the decision, but as the game approaches, it seems increasingly unlikely that Bridges will be able to participate on this occasion.