The Brooklyn Nets were fairly active just prior to the NBA trade deadline. They traded veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie to the Toronto Raptors for Dennis Schröder and Thaddeus Young, and in a separate deal, they gave up Royce O’Neale and obtained three future second-round draft picks, as well as Keita Bates-Diop and Jordan Goodwin.
There were rumors that perhaps they would do more than make those two rather minor or mild moves. One player who came up in those rumors was Mikal Bridges, whom most consider to be Brooklyn’s best player.
In the wake of the team firing head coach Jacque Vaughn and Bridges reportedly playing a role in the firing, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the Nets rubbed some offers for Bridges that would’ve endowed them with draft capital.
“The Nets’ goal has been to bounce back toward contention, perhaps even quicker than the three years it took Sean Marks’ regime to attract [Kevin] Durant and [Kyrie] Irving in 2019 free agency after he took the reins in 2016,” wrote Fischer. “The Nets have emphatically rejected massive offers loaded with first-round draft capital for Mikal Bridges, sources said, and seemed more than optimistic Vaughn could pilot a roster to the playoffs this season headlined by Brooklyn’s crown jewel of the combined returns for Durant and Irving.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets Updates
In fact, the Houston Rockets reportedly offered the Nets some of the draft capital it surrendered to them when it traded for James Harden a few years ago.
“Recently, the Houston Rockets were among the teams to register trade interest in Bridges, league sources told HoopsHype,” wrote Michael Scotto. “Houston was prepared to send back several of Brooklyn’s unused remaining draft picks from the James Harden trade, but talks never got to that stage because the Nets declined to entertain anything for Bridges when Houston inquired.”
Bridges, a 6-foot-6 wing, came to Brooklyn in the trade that jettisoned Durant to the Phoenix Suns a year ago. At the time, he was considered one of the NBA’s best 3-and-D players, but since relocating to the Tri-state area, he has blossomed into something more than that.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets Updates
He increased his scoring average by nearly nine points last season after being traded, and so far this season, he’s at 21.7 points a game. He’s creating more shots for himself these days, and his usage rate jumped dramatically upon his arrival in Brooklyn.
With a 21-33 record, the Nets are currently in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. They have lost 18 of their last 24 games, and they seem to be trending toward missing the play-in tournament, which may make it seem as if liquidating Bridges for one or more draft picks may have been a prudent decision.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets Updates
On the other hand, Bridges is just 27 and in his sixth season in the league, and he appears to be just entering his prime. Perhaps an All-Star appearance is in his near future if he helps Brooklyn become a winning team.
