The Nets agreed to trade Mikal Bridges just two months after they hired Jordi Fernandez, but Brooklyn’s new head coach said he wasn’t caught off guard by that move. As Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, moving Bridges was a scenario that had been discussed with Fernandez before he took the job.
“We know that we wanted to do something sustainable and we wanted to win and build something very special. There were different avenues to do it, and this was a possible one,” Fernandez said. “We just couldn’t control if something (big came), what other teams would offer, so we’d just have to sit and wait. And (general manager Sean Marks) had his different avenues to get there. When the opportunity presented itself, he called me. I knew before it came out to the media, and I was very excited because I know how the NBA works and I know how good you can get when you have assets, flexibility and so and so forth. So I’m just very excited.”
Marks also confirmed that he and Fernandez talked about the possibility of a Bridges trade, explaining that he wanted to make sure the head coach knew what he was getting into when he accepted the Nets’ offer.
“It’s very important to be upfront when you’re hiring a coach — or any staff member for that matter — for them to know there’s a variety of different pathways we can go down,” Marks said. “We knew the flexibility that we had in terms of the roster, the cap, the salaries that we have, this (outcome) could be one of them. We’re not going to shy away from that. So, he knew well ahead that this was an avenue that we could be going down and has bought in completely.”
Here are a few more notes from around the Eastern Conference:
- Having already pushed back his salary guarantee date from June 29 to July 10, the Hawks are talking to Bruno Fernando‘s camp about postponing that deadline again, tweets Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Fernando has some incentive to give Atlanta more time with that decision if it increases his odds of remaining on the roster and earning his full $2.72MM salary for 2024/25.
- Following up on reporting that suggested the Raptors had been willing to offer free agent wing Gary Trent Jr. a deal worth $15MM per year when their negotiating window first opened, Michael Grange of Sportsnet (Twitter link) clarifies that most conversations the team had about Trent were internal. The front office discussed potential contract frameworks rather than formally putting an offer on the table, Grange says, adding that the Raptors told Trent’s camp after the draft that they were going in a different direction.
- Knicks draft-and-stash prospect Rokas Jokubaitis, the No. 34 overall pick in 2021, will be with New York’s Summer League team this month for the first time in three years, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Jokubaitis, who is under contract with Barcelona for one more season, would have been unavailable for Summer League if Lithuania had qualified for the Olympics, but the Lithuanians fell to Puerto Rico in the qualifying tournament final on Sunday.
- The Magic have quietly aced the offseason, according to Michael Pina of The Ringer, who wonders if Orlando is capable of becoming next season’s version of the 2023/24 Thunder and making the leap from solid team to one of the best in the conference.
Which of these guys would you rather have on your team if you could have them for their entire career… Paolo Banchero, Paul Pierce, Pau Gasol, Paul George, Chris Paul? Rank a top3 if possible…
1. Paul Pierce
2. Paul George
3. Pau Gasol
If I am getting them for the entire career I assume I am also getting all the injuries and drama that came with them. Pierce was the most durable/reliable and gave his team a chance to contend every year instead of just some years.
Injuries are the only thing keeping Gasol and George out of the top spot. I think both were/are incredible players when healthy.
Paolo Banchero looks like he could have the best career of them all, but that’s 15 years of risky projecting when he can just as easily get injured tomorrow and vanish, eg Lonzo Ball, Derrick Rose, etc…
If we are assuming perfect health from everyone then my list probably changes to:
1. Paul George
2. Pau Gasol
3. Paolo Banchero
It’s just a trip to me the way that you guys view the game & these players. I couldn’t imagine seeing a list of those 5 guys & my first thought being injuries & drama.
Well if your goal is to win a championship then being available for championship games is the most important criteria there is. Players on the injured list don’t help you win championships.
Injuries are the reason Houston, LAC, and Philly have won zero rings.
Paul George, because he’s the most Beatle. But I would prefer Paul John or John Paul.
Your question doesn’t make sense. It is too soon to add Paolo Banchero to that list.
They told the coach ahead of time about the possibility of a Bridges trade, ok cool… But did they tell Bridges?
He’s a Knick ….. he got the message
Well Bridges requested a trade to the Knicks and his agent was actively telling teams that if they trade for Bridges that he wouldn’t sign an extension and sign with the Knicks when he hit free agency. Safe to say he had an idea that he was getting moved.
Bridges never requested anything. Bridges himself has said this many times. He’s not that kind of player. Nets wanted a haul. So they called on Knicks. Plenty teams wanted Bridges.
Plenty of teams wanted Bridges. Bridges wanted one team. Thats the point. And yes he certainly did request a trade
link to fanspo.com
Nets have two picks in 2025 draft.
Their own is the one to look at. They also have their own 2nd rd pick. Which is a top pick without the money commitment of 1st rd. A top 3 pick in this draft. Is a future star in NBA. You get Cooper. Then we are talking next Chosen one. They are playing for the lottery next yr. Play the young guys and start the development ….
Nets have 4 1sts next yr & 6 picks in the 2025 draft.
Yes thank you. I have updated. Seems only theirs is lottery though …..
I hope Jordi does a good job in Brooklyn but he’s stepping into a tough situation. Putting all your eggs in the tanking for pick 101 basket is very risky. At least the fallout from the super team attempt isn’t as bad as it is for the Clips. Brooklyn has a shot at a 3-4 year rebuild if they can land Flagg.
The Magic are only jumping out the playoffs. They’re not ready.
BKN has been fairly open about the fact that they’re tanking next year, and probably for the next few years. It’s no different than what about a quarter of the league (at least) has been doing for the past decade, and, I’m guessing it will be for a shorter period than most. I’m not a fan of it, for many reasons, including its history relative to the future of the tanking team, and that technically it is a default in the team’s obligations to the association.
But the reality on the street can’t be ignored. Some shameless tankers (SAS and OKC) have rosters of elite young talent that, injuries aside, will have them contending for a decade, while others also have similar potential (e.g., ORL). As the talent base around the league continues to thin, and the player markets (trade and free agency) become more and more illiquid, it’s something any talent depleted team has to consider. They aren’t blowing anything up. There was nothing to blow up. They just traded their best player for a price that would never be offered again.