Brooklyn Nets Small Forward Mikal Bridges has been trending as the best asset for other teams to acquire during this offseason. To make things more interesting, the No. 9 draft pick the Houston Rockets got from the Brooklyn Net trade for James Harden is now up to No. 3.
Therefore this gives the Houston Rockets and other NBA teams scouting Mikal Bridges another chance to provide a juicy offer to the Nets, despite the 11th seed’s stubbornness to trade away Mikal Bridges.
Will the Brooklyn Nets come to terms with one of these teams?
Should the Brooklyn Nets Trade Mikal Bridges?
Mikal Bridges joined the Nets from the Phoenix Suns in 2023 after a failed “Big Three” experiment of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. After this failed attempt, the owner of the Brooklyn Nets, Joe Tsai, expressed his desire to take a long-term approach this offseason.
“The Brooklyn Nets are at a crossroads in a way. I think we didn’t do as well as we expected last season. We didn’t make the playoffs, but we hope to revamp the team and make sure that we can compete in the long run.”
Rumor had it that there could be a Mikal Bridges trade before the draft lottery. However, after the lottery the Houston Rockets hold the third overall pick in the upcoming draft. It would be tempting to trade Bridges to acquire the Rockets for their top pick and propel their offseason plans forward.
Here’s Why The Nets’ Shouldn’t Trade Bridges
Arguably, Bridges did not help to improve the Nets offense this season. However, it was only during the 2023-24 season that Bridges played all games, averaging 21.2 points, 3.4 assists, and 5 rebounds shooting 44.7% from the floor. I believe the Nets should give the small forward another chance next season. Here are some reasons:
1. Bridges’ Consistency
Bridges is also nicknamed the ‘Iron Man’ because he could play many minutes with minimal or no injury. A quality player like this would be decent for roster construction and serve as a supportive player when the Nets’ injuries pile up. This is why the New York Knicks are interested in signing Mikal Bridges. With the Knicks’ coach style of play, Bridges could fit in perfectly. Also, with the uncertainty of Julius Randle’s future, the forward could serve as a co-star with Jalen Brunson.
2. No Brainer Deals From Rival Teams
Rival teams like the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies sacrificed some of their valuable assets to attain Villanova basketball players. This depicts the valuable nature of the small forward and how his defensive prowess could help balance their team’s roster. Thus, for NBA teams to make no-brainer offers for Bridges, it gives the Brooklyn Nets more of a reason to keep him.
3. Rebuild Strategy
Instead of making the mistake of the Detroit Pistons’ former General Manager, Troy Weaver, when he acquired many young players without a star player to build around, the Nets should keep Bridges. This would allow them to build around their superstar for the future.
The rebuilding strategies NBA clubs use this offseason are either building a “Big Three” team to become championship contenders or developing young talent and building a sustainable winning culture. The latter is a decent strategy the Nets could employ this offseason.
About the Author
Wisdom is an email and brand copywriter with two years of content writing experience. He started Cloud Kitchen Concept to help startups and business owners elevate their brands from good to great. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram to enjoy cooked meals for your business’s growth.
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