Photo: Peter Baba

Miles Bridges said he understands why his arrival in Phoenix has been met with mixed reactions as he begins his career with the Suns.

During his first media availability after the trade became official, Bridges openly addressed the concerns surrounding his past while saying he is focused on rebuilding trust both on and off the court.

“Like (general manager Brian Gregory) said, there’s mixed feelings about me being here,” Bridges said. “I take full responsibility of my actions. I’ve been to counseling, I’ve been to therapy, and right now I’m just prioritizing, just like B.G. said, being better as a man every day, on and off court – mainly off the court – and just being a great father and earning the trust of this fan base and community.”

Phoenix acquired Bridges from Charlotte, along with a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round selection, in exchange for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neal and a 2033 first-round pick.

General manager Brian Gregory called Bridges a “perfect fit for us,” while acknowledging the Suns thoroughly evaluated his past before completing the trade.

Bridges missed the 2022-23 season after resolving a domestic violence case through a plea agreement and later served a 30-game NBA suspension. A separate 2023 protective-order case was eventually dismissed.

Gregory called Bridges’ previous actions “unacceptable behavior,” but said the organization was encouraged by his counseling efforts and his acceptance of responsibility.

“Those questions are part of his story,” Gregory said. “He’s dealt with them before and he’ll deal with them today as well. I think those questions, we were aware of and we knew about, and that’s also why we took this decision so seriously during the process and when we made it.”

He added: “I have no question at all that he understands the responsibility of what our organization’s expectations and value are. We will hold him accountable to the same high stands of everyone that is part of the Phoenix Suns organization. There will be no wavering on that.”

Bridges averaged 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds last season before joining Phoenix and said he is looking forward to starting over with his new teammates.

“I’m excited to be here, I feel like I’m going to be a great fit, excited to play with (Devin Booker), Jalen (Green), Dillon (Brooks), and the younger guys too, as well.”

Miles Bridges says he's 'been to therapy' after domestic violence arrest as Suns face blowback for polarizing move https://t.co/QLqK8KHiDK pic.twitter.com/l5BQrfa4e5