On the 2022-23 commerce deadline, issues received dicey for the Brooklyn Nets. To begin, Kyrie Irving requested a commerce and the Nets shipped him to Dallas. Shortly after Kyrie’s departure, Brooklyn’s different famous person Kevin Durant additionally requested a commerce. Durant was traded to the Suns in trade for a number of first-round picks and two function gamers.
One of many gamers they acquired within the commerce with Phoenix was SG/SF Mikal Bridges. Brooklyn has remained constant that Bridges is a participant they’ve zero curiosity in buying and selling. Fred Katz of The Athletic reported that the Nets have turned down a number of commerce affords for Bridges. Katz famous they’ve turned down a number of first-rounders in potential trades.
Brooklyn stays dedicated to creating Mikal Bridges a featured piece of their offense
The Brooklyn Nets have turned down commerce affords consisting of a “hoard of first-rounders” for Mikal Bridges, per @FredKatz
They proceed to indicate zero curiosity in buying and selling him and want to construct round him and one other star
“In line with league sources, Brooklyn’s entrance… pic.twitter.com/KtBwEV5oL2
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 14, 2024
When the Nets misplaced Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on the similar commerce deadline, their roster took an enormous step again. Irving and Durant are two of the highest scorers within the historical past of the NBA. It was by no means going to be straightforward to interchange that. We noticed that this previous season when the Nets completed 32-50, eleventh within the Japanese Convention. Not even excessive sufficient within the standings to make the play-in event. The Nets have shifted their focus in the direction of the 2024-25 season and Mikal Bridges will as soon as once more be the centerpiece of this group.
On the time when Mikal Bridges was traded to the Nets, he was being requested to attain extra for the Phoenix Suns. That they had a number of accidents on their group and Bridges was the #1 scoring possibility. That put Bridges ready to do the identical as soon as he was traded to the Nets. Bridges performed within the closing 27 common season video games for Brooklyn and averaged (26.1) factors per recreation. He scored 20+ factors in 22 of his 27 video games. Throughout the 2023-24 common season, Bridges’ scoring numbers took a step again. The 27-year-old averaged (19.6) factors per recreation this previous season for the Nets. Bridges scored 20+ factors in 38 of his 82 common season video games.
The Brooklyn Nets confuse me.
I perceive that the Nets are in New York, Mikal Bridges is without doubt one of the most preferred gamers within the NBA and that the Nets have a great quantity of belongings and a bunch of function gamers.
However this unwavering religion that they will appeal to a 1st AND 2nd possibility… pic.twitter.com/AGeKKowjsh
— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) June 14, 2024
Subsequent season, the Nets want Mikal Bridges to step up and be a 20+ level per recreation scorer persistently. That’s one thing Brooklyn didn’t have in 2022-23. Cam Thomas was the one participant to common 20+ factors per recreation final season. Bridges averaged (19.6) per recreation. If the Nets need to be a severe contender within the East once more, they should add some extra expertise round Mikal Bridges. Nevertheless, that may not be the simplest factor to do. Brooklyn didn’t appear like a fascinating vacation spot of their first full season with out Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant. What modifications can the entrance workplace make this offseason?
