Any NBA team needs to have direction. Sometimes, a team’s direction isn’t clear. There are teams around the NBA that could go one way or the other.
Should they stay competitive? Alternatively, should they blow up their roster? In some cases, it’s obvious. The league’s worst teams are focused on the future. The best teams live in the here and now. What about the teams in between those two extremes?
For example, what about the Brooklyn Nets? They’ve got a solid roster, but they don’t have a top-tier offensive player. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks do in Trae Young – yet, they also find themselves without a clear direction. Could they make their direction clearer by acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets?
The Trade Proposal
Brooklyn Nets Receive: F De’Andre Hunter, F Jalen Johnson, 2024 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected – SAC via ATL), 2029 First-Round Pick (ATL)
Atlanta Hawks Receive: G/F Mikal Bridges
In another sense, every team has the same direction. Each team in the NBA is working towards the goal of winning an NBA championship. The question is whether they’re trying to win one now, or later.
When we say a team is directionless, we mean that the team isn’t sure where their goalpost is. The Phoenix Suns are trying to win the 2023-24 championship. They’ll try again in 2024-25 if they don’t win next season. If they don’t win in either year, they’ve failed. By contrast, the Houston Rockets have their eye on the 2030 title.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets & Atlanta Hawks Updates
What about the Nets? What about the Hawks? Well, that’s our point. Each of these teams could be competitive next season, but neither is likely to win a title. Should the Nets turn their attention to the future?
Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
It depends on how their season is going. The Nets won’t make this move right. After all, they don’t have their own first-round pick next year – or, for that matter, for quite some time. Any loss for the Nets is a win for the Rockets until 2027, when they stop controlling their draft.
Still, at some point, the Nets would have to treat those picks as a sunk cost. If they’re a mediocre team leading into this year’s deadline, they’ll have to consider sending the Rockets a lottery pick. At some point, they’ll have to plan for the future – even if they don’t have as much control over their future as they’d like.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets & Atlanta Hawks Updates
So, those are the conditions that would lead to this move. Besides, the Nets don’t have to orchestrate a long-term rebuilding process here. They’d have one of the best collections of draft capital in the NBA. Eventually, they could use it to trade for a disgruntled superstar. Should the Hawks afford them that type of flexibility?
Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal
Meanwhile, the Hawks have a weak collection of draft capital. They sent out three of their own unprotected picks to acquire Dejounte Murray. Unlike the Nets, they don’t have a deep bag of picks from other teams in their arsenal either.
So, they ought to push all in. It seems like the Hawks agree. This team has been widely linked to Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors. If they land him, this deal won’t be available – the Hawks will have burned these assets. What if they don’t?
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets & Atlanta Hawks Updates
Bridges would be a good pivot. He’s one of the best 3-and-D wings in the NBA, and he can create his own shot as well. He may be overtaxed as a first option in Brooklyn, but as a third option alongside Young and Murray, he’ll be overqualified. If he becomes available this year, the Hawks should pounce on him – if nothing else, he’ll give them a direction.
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