Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal

The Brooklyn Nets do this deal with the future in mind. For a win-now team, that may feel counterproductive. At the same time, the future has a way of sneaking up on an NBA team. With this deal, the Nets become better prepared for it.

You could even make the case that Bridges has the most trade value in this deal. At 26, he’s by far the youngest player involved. His defensive impact cannot be overstated: he can effectively guard 1-4 with a unique combination of wingspan, IQ, and lateral mobility.

Of course, we didn’t propose a straight Bridges-for-Durant swap. As valuable as Bridges is, he’s not on that level yet. The Nets also land Chris Paul in the deal. Sure, he’s a point guard, as are Irving and (arguably) Ben Simmons. That’s not a concern.

Paul is accustomed to an off-ball role, having spent several years alongside James Harden in Houston. Ditto for Irving and his time with LeBron James.

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They’ll make it work. Even if they don’t, the Brooklyn Nets are now mostly restocked on the draft capital they sent Houston in the James Harden trade. They’ve also got quality young players in Simmons and Bridges to build around. You could argue that this trade puts them in a better situation.

In the very unlikely event that they look to trade Kevin Durant, it’s one they should consider offering.