The Brooklyn Nets are not having the greatest season this time as their 16-24 record says it all about their current condition. The franchise has for long put its faith in their star player Mikal Bridges, for whom they even rejected a mindblowing offer.
Mikal Bridges has been a great player for the Nets overall but he doesn’t have the same amount of impact on his team as previously shown by greats like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan for their respective teams. They seem to have made a mistake by rejecting an offer that could have potentially won them a ring in the future.
How Nets made wrong decision by declining enticing trade offer for Mikal Bridges?
The Brooklyn Nets have an unusual loyalty towards their player Mikal Bridges, they have refused to let go of him even if they were offered a deal way beyond the player’s value. Bridges has been a great player for the Nets ever since he joined the franchise early last year. He had a great debut match where he netted 23 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, but eventually lost the match.
Soon after that, he delivered stunning performances where he scored 40+ points in two matches but again ended up losing one of them. This has become a constant theme of Bridges’ career in the Nets, where he scores a lot of points but loses the match and ever since the start of the 2023–24 season, he hasn’t been that effective and has been very inconsistent, showing signs of struggle in the matches.
It was recently revealed that the Nets had rejected a mouth-watering trade offer for the Bridges that could have changed the fate of the franchise. According to Brian Lewis of the NY Post, the Nets had rejected a great offer of four first-round picks offered by the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason. It looks like a mistake, as that trade could have changed the Nets’ current and future situation.
First-round picks are very valuable in the NBA as they give a franchise the power to select the best from the young NBA draft candidates who have the potential to become great players. The number 1 draft pick this season, Victor Wembanyama is a prime example of how good the first-round draft picks can be. The youngster has taken the league by storm with even Giannis Antetokounmpo, the best player in the league complimenting his talent.
Imagine having four of those crazy round picks, which the Nets rejected to keep a player who has been inconsistent in his performances this season. Even if looked upon by logic trading, Mikal Bridges would have been the right decision as it would give you a chance to draft four new players in exchange for a 27-year-old player or they could have used those draft picks as leverage to trade for other players.
Why do Nets hold Mikal Bridges in such high regard?
The question now arises, why do the Brooklyn Nets hold Mikal Bridges in such high regard? The answer to that was given by Lewis, as he wrote, “He has played solid defense and is a well-regarded figure in the building. Dealing with him would signal a tearing down to the stud.” Lewis explained the importance of Mikal Bridges by making him a central figure of the Brooklyn Nets strategic plan. The nest has invested in building around Mikal as a foundation pillar and if they trade him, it would mean a total rework of the entire team.
The governor of the franchise, Joe Tsai, and the general manager Sean Marks have no plans of doing such a thing. The Nets may have been wrong in rejecting the incredible offer by the Grizzlies, however, the decision to build around Bridges was not wrong. Mikal can be considered a strong foundation player around whom a team can be built. He may not be doing as well as before in the league right now, but he has shown glimpses of his true power. If only he realizes the true weight of the responsibilities on his shoulders and gets consistent in his performances, he can carry the franchise to the top.
What do you think of the Nets refusing to trade Mikal Bridges? Do you think that Mikal has what it takes to carry the franchise? We are eager to know your thoughts, so drop down in the comments and let us know.
