There has been speculation that Nets forward Mikal Bridges will be a target for the Trail Blazers if and when they shop the No. 3 overall pick, but John Hollinger of The Athletic is skeptical that a deal centered around that pick would appeal to Brooklyn.
As Hollinger points out, the Nets don’t control their own first-rounders in any of the next four drafts, so they have little incentive to take a step back in the short term. Plus, Bridges is signed to one of the NBA’s most team-friendly contracts through the 2025/26 season.
Alex Schiffer of The Athletic (Twitter link) says he has heard the same thing as Hollinger at the draft combine in Chicago. According to Schiffer, any rumors linking Bridges to Portland are “all talk,” since Brooklyn isn’t interested.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Many prospects in this year’s draft class have cited Bridges as a player they want to emulate at the NBA level, according to Schiffer. Iowa’s Kris Murray, Villanova’s Cam Whitmore, Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis, and Frenchman Rayan Rupert are among the prospects who likened themselves to Bridges. “I want to have the same trajectory and same process he did,” Rupert said. “Mikal Bridges is a big inspiration for me.”
- Xavier guard Colby Jones told Schiffer that he’s scheduled to work out for the Nets in the coming weeks. Jones is the No. 28 prospect on ESPN’s big board, while Brooklyn owns the Nos. 21 and 22 picks in next month’s draft.
- Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner and Dayton’s DaRon Holmes II are among the draft prospects who worked out for the Nets prior to the draft combine, Schiffer writes for The Athletic. Kalkbrenner, who has also auditioned for the Bulls, said that his session with Brooklyn went well, but Holmes wasn’t as positive about his workout in Brooklyn. “I didn’t do too well, I feel like, at the Nets,” Holmes said. “I feel like I could have stepped it up a bit, but it was good to learn. Great players there.”
- Former five-star recruit Emoni Bates has been linked to the Nets and said he’ll work out for them at some point in the coming weeks, according to Schiffer. An Eastern Michigan forward, Bates added that he also has workouts lined up with the Thunder, Suns, Cavaliers, Blazers, and Pistons.
- In case you missed it, Ben Simmons‘ agent said earlier this week that the former No. 1 overall pick is “progressing really well” in his injury rehab process. We have more details here.
I’m not understanding why Bridges is such a big inspiration for anyone. Great player for sure but he didn’t really go off til he got traded and became a number one option on his new team. Is that what these prospects are telling teams? I want to get drafted and be your 4th option for a few years and then you can trade me? That was his trajectory was it not? Am I missing something? And the Nets would be crazy to deal him.
Could just mean that he is a two-way player who has continued to improve. Also, he’s not missed a game since he entered the league which is rare these days.
Even before the trade Bridges was seen as worthy of an $80 million contract and being the centerpiece in a KD trade. If you could guarantee a team that a draft prospect would be as good as Bridges up to this point then that prospect would be an easy #2 pick after Wenbanyama. But I agree with you that it would not make sense for the Nets to be trading Bridges at this point.
Yeah that must be it !!!!!
I suggest you learn the game.
Why tf would Nets trade Bridges? They robbed the Suns. Brooklyn actually got a team now, like back before they brought in the crybaby superteam.
What happened to the rule on trading consecutive draft picks? How can the Nets have no picks for 4 years?
They don’t control their pick for 4 years. This year Houston had swapping rights which they obviously did not do, 24 it goes to Houston, 25 is another swap and 26 it goes to Houston again.
I think they can trade bridges and still compete, especially if the package involved Simons who replaces bridges scoring. They have so much wing depth in cam Johnson, DFS and Royce oniel already.
He might replace some of the scoring but is undersized and lacking in defense. I agree that they have a glut of wing players but Bridges is not the one I’d get rid of.
“Brooklyn Bridges” isn’t going anywhere.
The reason they look up to him. Is cause they see how a player works his way up to being Elite. He learned from all-stars, future HOFrs. And leveled up in Brooklyn.
He was Suns best one on one defender. Still put up 17 a gm. It’s called a Team game. And he’s a gamer. Nets needed a #1 scorer. So he stepped up and filled it. That’s what true stars do. They are capable of stepping up their game. Think Jimmy Butler. They play a team game. He’s made himself into an all-star. A true baller.
Emoni Bates is a sad story. Instead of letting him grow as a player. And a man. His family tried to ride his success. And really stunted his growth. You don’t become a success in your sport. Until you are in your middle 20s. You might get paid at 19-20 yrs old. But what’s that compared to 10-15 yrs of balling. That is a lifetime of success.
It’s why you need good coaching. Good competition. Good habits. And a commitment to just getting better and better. They failed this kid.
Bates at 15 yrs old was considered the Next One. At 19 yrs old today. He is considered a fringe draft pick. Might not even be drafted. Still very young. Some team might get thru to him. And work him back to NBA level athlete. He’s got offensive skills. Needs nurturing and mass. Best thing would be to get drafted and spend two yrs in G-league. Refine his game and grow up. If not drafted. He can still go to G-league. And get his game and life in order. Wish him the best.
Interesting point, Brooklyn don’t own any of their draft picks in the next 4 years so they have no intention of getting any worse or rebuilding.
So that means they will most likely pay Cam Johnson even if it’s an over pay for 4 years. Cause losing him before then would make them worse. If they lose him after the 4 years then so be it they’ll just have a better pick.
I think the obvious move to make them better is trading Ben Simmons. I still believe he can refind the form which made him an all star level player but for now he’s just to inactive, and to much of a question mark.
I think a good deal could be Ben Simmons and pick 21 in this years draft for KP.
Washington could definitely do with a playmaker, lead guard style player. They could also really do with a defensive specialist. Kuzma plays a little bit of D but besides him it’s an area they aren’t good at. As for playmaking, Monte Morris is more of a back up and same with Delon Wright.
So they give up KP but they also get a first round pick from it aswell.
Brooklyn can then line up big,
Dinwiddie Bridges Johnson KP and Claxton
Or can line up small with better shooting,
Dinwiddie Thomas Bridges Johnson KP
Then if they wanted to keep the shooting but be better defensively they could go,
Dinwiddie Bridges Johnson DFS KP
Loads of good options.
As for Washington, I’d run Ben as you PG and look to add a better centre in FA.
Ben Beal Witmore Kuzma Drummond
Off the bench you have Morris lead a young group made up of, Davis Kispert Avidja Todd Gafford and whoever you take with the 21st pick thanks to Brooklyn. I’d be thinking you should take either a PF or C depending on who is available.
Either way I think it makes both teams better
Bridges’ trade value now is pretty much the same as it was before the PHX-BKN trade. It’s just his 2k rating that’s gotten better, because he got more reps. Also, PHX knew what they had (they were offered 4 FRPs for the guy, an offer also made to BKN at the time of the trade). So, he must have “went off” plenty, at least in the eyes of those that matter.
As for his value vs the 3rd pick in this draft. That’s really about whether a team is in a deep rebuilding (tanking or not) or not. BKN made its decision in that regard last year in how it structured the KI and KD trades. They’re going to prioritize winning. That’s a top to bottom organizational decision. It’s not going to change for awhile.
I was a big fan of Bridges coming into his draft. I thought he was minimum top 5 in that draft, and at worst, Cleveland or the Knicks would take him, but he somehow fell past them, and then got traded. I thought he reminded me of Kawhi Leonard…not like Kawhi at his best, but like right before he got to that level. I think he is a significant reason Booker became better as well
Brooklyn’s roster was too good after that trade for them to have not utilized it correctly, the way they did, with all their versatility, defense, playmaking, shooting…all they needed was a floor spacing big, and maybe someone that can get easier baskets in the half court, but their rotations have been awful for 3 years
A few of those guys are free agents though, so I’m curious to see what will happen.