Mikal Bridges

Nets Notes: Bridges, Dragic, Claxton, Thomas

April 20th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Kevin Durant deal that shook up the NBA on the eve of the trade deadline never would have happened if the Suns hadn’t included Mikal Bridges, Nets general manager Sean Marks tells Nick Friedell of ESPN.

Marks had come to the realization that it was time to end the super-team experiment in Brooklyn that brought together Durant, Kyrie Irving and eventually James Harden. Durant was the last of the trio to be moved, and Marks wanted to create the foundation of a young team that could remain competitive while building for the future. The centerpiece of that was Bridges, who has become a star in Brooklyn, averaging 26.1 PPG in 27 games since the trade.

“We knew the end of an era was upon us,” Marks said. “When Kyrie had already moved, the discussions with Phoenix heated up and it became real, like, ‘All right, well, there’s a shift happening here, right? Are we resetting, retooling, rebuilding?’ We were able to come to terms with that knowing that the package we were getting back in return was something that has a clear pathway.

“We’ve never sort of had a group of young guys before that were under contract, proven, healthy and you can see a pathway of, ‘Hey, I can see what this may look like in two, three years from now.’ … Not just Mikal, but all of them, where do they all take their games to? Who’s the next person that takes that leap?”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

Veteran guard Goran Dragic is the latest player to indicate that there was significant behind-the-scenes turmoil with the Nets, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Dragic, who finished last season in Brooklyn, said he had an offer to stay but he chose to sign with the Bulls to get away from the drama. “I could have re-signed with Brooklyn, but I didn’t want to be in that situation, because it was a little bit crazy,” Dragic said. “I just tried to find a team that’s calmer and to be more stable. I thought that would be with Chicago.”
Facing Joel Embiid is a difficult matchup for Nic Claxton, so coach Jacque Vaughn wants him to use his speed to his advantage, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Claxton needs to find a way to get some easy baskets after being held scoreless Monday.
Vaughn wouldn’t commit to playing Cam Thomas in Game 3, Lewis tweets. The second-year guard wasn’t used at all in Game 2 after seeing four minutes in the series opener. “It’s always at the disposal of someone not getting minutes, and so who is that?” Vaughn asked. “Is that Spencer (Dinwiddie)? Is that Cam Johnson? Is that Mikal Bridges? Everyone is available to play it and in the wheelhouse to be prepared if their number is called.”

Atlantic Notes: J. Brown, Hauser, Bridges, Reed

April 15th, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

It wasn’t obvious to anyone who watched him post 29 points and 12 rebounds in the Celtics‘ series-opening win Saturday, but Jaylen Brown was having trouble gripping the ball because of a cut that reopened on his right hand, writes Coley Harvey of ESPN. Brown originally suffered the cut while watering his plants last week and had to get five stitches. He wasn’t able to practice until Thursday and is still experimenting with the best way to protect the hand while he’s playing.

“It’s a constant adjustment, making sure I have a good grip on the ball,” Brown said, although he told reporters that he doesn’t expect the injury to bother him throughout the entire series.

Brown started Saturday’s game with padding over the cut, but it seemed to distract him, according to Harvey. He went to the locker room after checking out in the first quarter and returned with a new bandage that appeared to be more comfortable.

“There’s not a lot of padding on it, so it’s just a different feel shooting the ball,” Brown said. “(The pain) is fine. Especially with the adrenaline of the game, you kind of just get going.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Sam Hauser moved ahead of Grant Williams in the Celtics‘ Game 1 rotation, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. Williams has been struggling with his shot lately, Robb adds, while Hauser played well against the Hawks in the regular season, so the move was a way to put more pressure on Atlanta’s defense. Robb adds that Boston will need Williams against bigger teams later in the playoffs, but the Hawks don’t have anyone capable of exploiting Hauser’s defensive shortcomings.
Suns coach Monty Williams is glad to see Mikal Bridges blossoming into a star with the Nets, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Bridges has averaged 26.1 PPG since being sent to Brooklyn in February as part of the Kevin Durant trade. He scored 30 points in Saturday’s loss to the Sixers, one short of his career playoff high. “Mikal is shooting the ball a lot and making a lot,” Williams said. “I’m happy for him. I see him balling. That’s what I see. You know how it works. If we’re not playing him, I want him to succeed. I love him and (Cameron Johnson) like family. Those boys have been balling since they got to Brooklyn.”
The Sixers got a lift from their “energy guys” in the win over Brooklyn, observes Rich Hofmann of The Athletic. P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed both delivered big games as Philadelphia pulled away. “Five for six, a couple dunks, a couple rebounds, a couple steals,” Reed said. “That’s what Paul Reed does.”

Atlantic Notes: Maxey, Nurse, Knicks, Bridges, Celtics

April 8th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and has put himself in position for a major payday by averaging a career-high 20.3 points per game on .481/.434/.845 shooting in 60 games (33.6 MPG) this season, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.

Assuming they look to negotiate a new deal with Maxey, the Sixers may want to use recent rookie extension recipients like Jordan Poole and Tyler Herro as points of comparison. Poole signed for four years and $123MM (plus incentives) last offseason, while Herro got $120MM (plus incentives) on his four-year extension. However, rival executives who spoke to Deveney believe the 22-year-old’s value has increased beyond that.

“They might have thought there was room to negotiate there,” an Eastern Conference executive told Deveney. “But look at what the guy has done. He’s gotten better at every turn, his work ethic is really, really amazing from everyone around him. That’s what stands out. This guy is only getting better. Probably, there’s no negotiation, they’re going to have to max him out.”

The exact value of a maximum-salary extension for Maxey would depend on where the 2024/25 salary cap lands, but it could exceed $40MM per year. For what it’s worth, the Sixers could have Tobias Harris and his $39.3MM expiring salary coming off the books in the summer of 2024.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Whether or not Nick Nurse remains with the Raptors beyond this season, he’ll coach Team Canada in the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Within the same story, Smith points out that this week’s Jeff Dowtin drama could have been avoided if Toronto had done a better job finding a reliable backup point guard instead of having to rely on a player on a two-way contract.
In a pair of subscriber-only stories for The New York Post, Peter Botte explores how president of basketball operations Leon Rose set up the Knicks for future success despite missing out on Donovan Mitchell, while Brian Lewis suggests that Nets forward Mikal Bridges has room to continue getting better even after taking a big step forward since arriving in Brooklyn.
Speaking to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said that he and Jayson Tatum have been “incredibly successful” together despite some calls over the years to break them up. “At this point, we’re part of each other’s destiny,” Brown said. “The only thing that could put the ribbon on top is winning a championship.”
In an interesting feature for The Athletic, Jared Weiss takes a deep dive into the Maine Celtics’ season, focusing on a few of the players who spent time with Boston’s G League affiliate, including Luka Samanic, who eventually earned a call-up to Utah, and Eric Demers, who hopes to work in basketball when his playing days are over.

New York Notes: Bridges, Knicks’ Future, Randle, Toppin

April 4th, 2023 at 7:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mikal Bridges outplayed Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, the favorite for the Most Improved Player award, in the Nets’ one-point win over the Jazz on Sunday. So why shouldn’t Bridges get consideration for the award? Brian Lewis of the New York Post makes that point.

Bridges has delivered 11 30-point games for the Nets, including three in his last four, after posting just two in 365 games before the Suns traded him. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday.

We have more on the New York teams:

The Knicks have exceeded expectations and their future is bright, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic. Jalen Brunson has been better than anyone anticipated, Julius Randle had a bounce-back campaign and some of their younger players have stepped up. They also have the means to get even better in the future, considering that no top-eight team in either conference has the surplus of first-round picks they do.
Is there a silver lining to Randle’s left ankle injury? Chris Herring of Sports Illustrated explores that topic and believes — assuming Randle can come back close to full strength once he’s reevaluated next week — it could be a blessing in disguise. In the midst of the Knicks’ current four-game winning streak, other players have filled the scoring void, including Josh Hart, Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley. That should give Randle more trust in those players than he had in the offensively challenged group around him in the Knicks’ last playoff journey.
Speaking of Toppin, he could be auditioning for an extension this offseason while filling in for Randle, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes. He has scored 33 points in his first two starts this season. “Just playing to his strengths,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Every player has strengths, every player has weaknesses. Stay away from your weaknesses, play to your strengths, understand who you are playing with.”

Anthony Davis, Mikal Bridges Named Players Of The Week

April 3rd, 2023 at 2:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Lakers big man Anthony Davis and Nets wing Mikal Bridges have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (via Twitter).

Davis, the Western Conference’s winner, averaged 38.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 2.0 blocks on .652/.333/.806 shooting in leading the Lakers to a 3-0 record last week. After winning six of seven, L.A. is currently 40-38, the No. 7 seed in the West.

Bridges, the East’s winner, averaged 33.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals on .500/.455/.885 shooting last week as the Nets went 3-0. Brooklyn is close to locking up the No. 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff spot, currently sitting with a 43-35 record and a two-game lead (and the tiebreaker) on the No. 7 Heat.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Brandon Ingram and Domantas Sabonis, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Jalen Brunson, Immanuel Quickley, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were nominated in the East.

And-Ones: Hard Cap, In-Season Tournament, J.R. Smith, Teammate Award

April 3rd, 2023 at 1:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

NBA owners originally sought a hard cap in negotiations with the union regarding the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, but the idea was taken off the table fairly early, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says in his latest podcast (hat tip to Real GM). He notes that the proposal was intended to restrain the league’s top spenders, but many franchises in smaller markets were opposed to it as well.

“Even a lot of small market teams were worried about a hard cap in places, like let’s say Cleveland, where all of a sudden you’re good enough to win a championship,” Wojnarowski said. “You have a team and you’re willing to go into the tax to keep that team together. Then all of a sudden with a hard cap and guaranteed contracts, the Cavs, using them as an example, or Oklahoma City four or five years from now, the smaller market teams worried ‘This is going to work against us.'”

Wojnarowski explains that a pure hard cap would make it impossible for the Cavaliers to keep the four players they hope to build the franchise around. They would eventually have to make a choice between re-signing Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell or between retaining Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Veteran NBA writer Marc Stein isn’t a fan of the in-season tournament that will begin in 2023/24 under the new CBA, writing in his latest piece for Substack (subscription required) that there’s nothing special about the competition until it reaches its Final Four. All the early rounds will be regular-season games played at NBA arenas, but the semifinals and finals will be held at a neutral site. Stein claims the league failed in its attempt to recreate the excitement of cup competitions in soccer.
J.R. Smith spoke about his current projects with Jenna Lemoncelli of The New York Post, but the 37-year-old guard notes that he hasn’t officially retired from the NBA. Smith, who last played for the Lakers during the bubble in Orlando, continues to work out so he’s ready in case another opportunity arises.
Last week the NBA announced the 12 finalists for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award, per a league press release. The finalists are Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges, Cleveland’s Darius Garland, Miami’s Udonis Haslem, Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday, New York’s Derrick Rose, Boston’s Grant Williams, Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Denver’s Aaron Gordon, Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Phoenix’s Damion Lee and Portland’s Damian Lillard. According to the NBA, a panel of league executives selected the finalists, but current players will select the winner. Holiday won the award for the second time last season.

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

New York Notes: Toppin, Barrett, Claxton, Bridges, Simmons

April 1st, 2023 at 3:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Obi Toppin, who started in place of injured Julius Randle on Friday, had a heated exchange with RJ Barrett during the Knicks’ win over the Cavaliers on Friday night. However, the Knicks downplayed the incident afterward, Peter Botte of the New York Post reports.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau and his assistants had to keep Toppin away from Barrett during a third-quarter timeout. Toppin and Barrett hugged on the court shortly afterward.

“We’re brothers. And we’re good. We discussed it,” Toppin said.

We have more on the New York teams:

Nic Claxton signed a two-year, $17.25MM contract as a restricted free agent last summer. That contract is proving to be a bargain, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Claxton has started 72 games and leads the Nets in blocks and rebounds. Claxton hopes he remains with the franchise beyond next season. “It’s human nature. It’s just in our business, you never really know what’s going to happen as far as trades, contracts and everything,” Claxton said. “But I’ve been here four years, and Brooklyn has been a huge [time], played a huge role in my growth. And I would love to be here.”
Nets forward Mikal Bridges is on track to play 83 regular season games this season, something that hasn’t been done since Josh Smith played that many games for Houston and Detroit in 2014/15, Nick Friedell of ESPN notes. Nets GM Sean Marks is impressed by Bridges’ durability during a time when players are frequently rested. “You look at how he plays the game,” Marks said. “Obviously, when he was playing in Phoenix, even dating back to college days, the length, the reliability — he’s nearing 400 games played in a row, it’s pretty unique in this day and age. And for somebody who actually wants to play at that clip is also certainly refreshing.”
With Ben Simmons declared out for the season by the Nets, Lewis interviewed a number of medical experts and Simmons’ agent to determine whether he’ll be healthier next season (New York Post subscription required). Lewis also explored the question of whether Simmons might require surgery to resolve his back and knee issues.

New York Notes: Sharpe, Bridges, Randle, Jeffries

March 28th, 2023 at 7:49am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets fortified their frontcourt depth this month by signing a pair of big men to 10-day contracts — Nerlens Noel got one, then the team brought in Moses Brown following the expiration of Noel’s deal. However, Noel wasn’t re-signed and Brown only played four minutes during his 10 days with Brooklyn, which concluded on Sunday night.

Rather than using Brown, the Nets have leaned recently on Day’Ron Sharpe as their backup center behind Nic Claxton, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Sharpe has responded admirably, averaging 10.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in just 15.8 minutes per game over his last four appearances.

“Sometimes you have to tap into that competitive nature,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “Sometimes you can not appreciate the situation that you’re in. It might not look like the way you want it to look on your timing. Sometimes you need a little nudge, and Day’Ron has responded extremely well by having another big on the roster.”

Following the expiration of Brown’s 10-day deal, the Nets have an open spot on their 15-man roster, so they’re in position to bring back Noel or Brown or to add someone new before the end of the regular season. Noel would be playoff-eligible but Brown wouldn’t be, since he has been waived since March 1.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:

After attempting 1.9 free throws per game during his four-and-a-half years in Phoenix, Nets forward Mikal Bridges is getting to the foul line 6.7 times per game in Brooklyn. He credited Suns stars Devin Booker and Chris Paul for helping him grow and expand that part of his game during his first few years in the NBA, Lewis writes for The New York Post. “Just trying to get to the line, just trying to be aggressive. That’s just a big thing,” Bridges said. “Coming from Phoenix, watching a lot of and being right there with a lot of Book and CP3 and how they draw fouls, I’ve learned a lot.”
Prior to Monday’s blowout win over Houston, Knicks forward Julius Randle had received technical fouls in three consecutive games, all losses. While Randle acknowledged he needs to do a better job of keeping his frustration in check, he doesn’t believe his outbursts adversely impact his standing as a team leader, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “Name a perfect leader,” Randle said. “Name a perfect human being.”
The Knicks used a portion of their room exception when they signed DaQuan Jeffries to a two-year contract, Hoops Rumors has learned. A rest-of-season minimum salary for Jeffries would have paid him $163,977, but New York opted to give him $300K for the remainder of the season using the room exception. The swingman’s new deal includes a non-guaranteed minimum salary ($2.07MM) for 2023/24.

Atlantic Notes: Harden, Cassell, Bridges, R. Williams

March 22nd, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers guard James Harden sat out tonight’s game due to Achilles soreness, but it doesn’t appear to be a long-term issue, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Coach Doc Rivers said Harden has been dealing with the discomfort for a while, and the team decided it would be best to give him a night off. He added that Harden was feeling pain in his left foot after playing 46 minutes in Monday’s double-overtime game.

“No concerns,” Rivers told reporters. “It just flared up a couple times and we decided instead of doing the back-and-forth, the dance, let’s just sit him down, get him rest and make sure he’s right.”

Collier notes that the only two previous games Harden has missed since the All-Star break were on the second night of back-to-backs. He is still managing a tendon strain in his right foot that he suffered in early November, which kept him out of action for about a month, tweets Sixers reporter Derek Bodner.

“Especially going into the playoffs, you just want guys to be right,” Rivers added. “No reason to take any chances.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Assistant coach Sam Cassell has decided to remain with the Sixers rather than pursue a head coaching job at Temple, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. A source confirms to Pompey that the university reached out to Cassell about the opening. Former NBA player Aaron McKie resigned as the Owls’ head coach last week.
Mikal Bridges is validating the Nets‘ decision to turn down trade offers after acquiring him in the Kevin Durant deal, states Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports. The Grizzlies reportedly offered a package of four first-round picks, but Brooklyn preferred to see what Bridges could do if given a starring role in the offense. He has averaged 25.4 PPG in 17 games since joining the Nets, easily outpacing his best seasons in Phoenix. “You saw the days where (Devin) Booker was out and he was the primary scorer, we saw how he adjusted and really flourished in that role,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “So we put the ball in his hands. We’ll continue to do so.”
The Celtics were happy to welcome back Robert Williams in Tuesday’s win at Sacramento, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Boston’s starting center was back on the court after missing the past eight games with a hamstring injury. “Obviously we’re a lot bigger when he’s out there,” Jayson Tatum said. “It just makes us much more dynamic, I felt like. His presence. Even if he’s not blocking shots, maybe he’s turning people away from attacking the basket. He’s grabbing rebounds. Giving us second or third opportunities. Obviously a lob threat.”

Trade Breakdown: Kevin Durant To The Suns (Four-Team Deal)

March 21st, 2023 at 10:34am CST by Rory Maher

This is the ninth entry in our series breaking down the significant trades of the 2022/23 season. As opposed to giving out grades, this series explores why the teams were motivated to make the moves. Let’s dive into the biggest blockbuster of the year, a four-team deal between the Suns, Nets, Bucks and Pacers.

Trade details

On February 9:

The Suns acquired Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren.
The Nets acquired Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, the Suns’ 2023 first-round pick (unprotected), the Suns’ 2025 first-round pick (unprotected), the Suns’ 2027 first-round pick (unprotected), the Suns’ 2029 first-round pick (unprotected), the right to swap first-round picks with the Suns in 2028, the Bucks’ 2028 second-round pick, the Bucks’ 2029 second-round pick, and the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet (from Pacers).
The Bucks acquired Jae Crowder.
The Pacers acquired Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka, a 2023 second-round pick (likely the Cavaliers’ second-rounder; from Bucks), the Bucks’ 2024 second-round pick, the Pacers’ 2025 second-round pick (from Bucks), and cash ($1.36MM; from Nets).
Note: The Bucks acquired the Pacers’ 2025 second-round pick in a prior trade.

The Suns’ perspective:

After posting a losing record for seven straight seasons – and missing the playoffs for 10 straight – the Suns had a remarkable turnaround in 2020/21, going 51-21 and reaching the NBA Finals, ultimately losing in six games to the Bucks. Last season, the Suns held the league’s top record at 64-18, but had a meltdown in their second-round loss to Dallas, getting blown out at home in Game 7.

Phoenix was reportedly high on Durant’s list of preferred destinations when he requested a trade this past offseason, but there were rumors of low-ball offers from rival teams and Brooklyn was said to be disinterested in obliging his request.

A few weeks later, there were questions about Deandre Ayton’s eagerness to be back in Phoenix after he signed a four-year, maximum-salary offer sheet from the Pacers over the summer amid tensions with head coach Monty Williams. The Suns quickly matched, however, signaling they still valued the former first overall pick, even if his role sometimes fluctuates.

In mid-September, former owner Robert Sarver was suspended by the NBA for a year and fined $10MM for workplace misconduct, including racist and misogynistic comments, following a lengthy investigation. He subsequently decided to sell his controlling stake in the franchise to Mat Ishbia, which was finalized shortly before last month’s deadline.

Finally, right before training camp opened, Crowder said he wasn’t going to participate, as he was reportedly unhappy with Williams after being told he would come off the bench (he had started the previous two years). The Suns then made an announcement saying the two sides would work together to find Crowder a new team.

Despite all the turmoil, ‘22/23 started out pretty well, with Phoenix going 15-6 over its first 21 games. Unfortunately, Johnson tore his meniscus during that span, and Chris Paul was sidelined by a foot injury until early December. The Suns lost five straight shortly thereafter, with star guard Devin Booker going down with a groin injury in mid-December.

Obviously, Crowder being away while Johnson was hurt didn’t help. Torrey Craig did an admirable job filling in, as did Ish Wainright, who was promoted to a standard deal from a two-way contract last month. But ideally, neither player would be logging heavy minutes on a championship-caliber team.

Paul is 37 years old (38 in May), and he is not the same player he was when the Suns made the Finals a couple years ago. He’s still good, just not on the same level, particularly from a scoring standpoint. That’s a huge deal, because he was Phoenix’s second-best player during the previous two seasons.

The Suns reportedly offered up Paul in an effort to land Kyrie Irving from Brooklyn shortly before Durant made his own request. I don’t know if those rumors are true, but either way, CP3 stayed put.

By mid-January, the Suns were just 21-24, and the season was slipping away. They recovered well leading up to the trade deadline, going 9-2 over that span to sit with a 30-26 record prior to February 9. Still, the damage had been done. I don’t think the Suns make this trade – specifically the way the deal was structured – if they still believed they were a real championship contender without acquiring Durant.

Ishbia played a major role in the deal. Even before he was officially approved by the league’s Board of Governors, a report came out saying the Suns were willing to make win-now moves, and he talked about being aggressive just before the deadline. He was also quickly willing to sign off on the extra $40MM the deal cost the Suns in salaries and tax penalties, a stark departure from the previous ownership group.

A report from ESPN indicated that president of basketball operations James Jones wanted to negotiate the inclusion of Bridges or add protections to the first-round picks, but the Nets held firm in their demands. The Suns also may have had another deal lined up for Crowder, but he ultimately was included in this trade as well.

Durant is in the first season of a four-year, $194MM extension. Booker, Durant and Ayton are all under contract through at least ’25/26. If healthy, those three alone make up a very strong (and expensive) core. It remains to be seen how long Paul will be around – his $30.8MM contract for next season is guaranteed for $15.8MM, and it is fully non-guaranteed in ‘24/25.

Durant is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He is a former league MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA member and four-time scoring champion.

In 981 career regular season games (36.7 MPG), he has averaged 27.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.1 SPG and 1.1 BPG on .499/.384/.886 shooting. In 155 career playoff games (40.4 MPG), he has averaged 29.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.0 SPG and 1.2 BPG on .476/.356/.866 shooting. He is the definition of a superstar.

Despite being 34 years old and tearing his Achilles tendon four years ago, he continues to play at an incredibly high level. In fact, when healthy, you could easily make a case for Durant being the best player in the league this season.

In 42 games (35.7 MPG), he has averaged 29.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.2 APG and 1.5 BPG on .566/.386/.931 shooting, good for an absurd .681 true shooting percentage. The FG%, FT% and TS% are all career highs. He is shooting 62.9% on twos, which is ridiculous considering the majority of his shots are mid-range jumpers.

Durant is also playing very motivated and strong defense in ‘22/23, which surprised me a bit because he had coasted on that end at times the past couple seasons. His teams have gone 29-13 this season when he has played, which is the equivalent of the second-best winning percentage (69.0%) in the league, only trailing the Bucks (71.8%).

Durant can do everything on the court at a high level. He’s 6’10” with a 7’5” wingspan, but he possesses guard-like skills, with elite shooting and excellent ball-handling. His passing has improved throughout his career, and when he tries, he is a top-tier defender. He is a matchup nightmare.

After playing in just four games from 2020-22 due to a couple of left foot surgeries, Warren finally returned to the court for the Nets in December, averaging 9.5 PPG and 2.8 RPG on .510/.333/.818 shooting in 26 games (18.8 MPG).

He clearly wasn’t at his best physically or from a production standpoint (he averaged a career-high 19.8 PPG on .536/.403/.819 shooting the season before getting injured), but he was still contributing off the bench. Warren has hardly played in his second stint with Phoenix, however, averaging just 6.4 MPG in eight games. He’s on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract, so he might not be back next season.

A few weeks after the trade was completed, Ishbia claimed the move carried “no risk.” That, of course, isn’t true.

Durant has gone down with a sprained MCL a few seasons in a row. You could say that’s a fluke, since it has involved players falling into his knee. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s played 35, 55 and 42 games over the past three seasons after missing all of ‘19/20 with a torn Achilles.

His ankle sprain on a routine layup while warming up prior to his fourth game with Phoenix was concerning. I could very well be wrong, but to my eyes, it didn’t look like he slipped; it looked like his ankle just gave out and rolled.

Durant is in his 16th season, has made several long playoff runs, and has also played in the World Cup (once) and the Olympics (three times) for Team USA. He’s still incredible, but the tread on his tires are pretty worn.

Giving up Bridges and Johnson stings. They were key role players for Phoenix who both improved tremendously throughout their Suns tenures, which we’ll get into more shortly.

Anytime you give up an unprotected pick in a future season it’s a risk. The Suns gave up three beyond 2023 — four if you count the 2028 pick swap, which will only be exercised if Phoenix is worse than Brooklyn.

Those picks from 2027-29 in particular could be extremely valuable. Durant will be 37 when his contract expires after ’25/26. Will he still be playing at this level, and will the Suns want to keep him if he’s not?

The Suns knew the risks. But the West is seemingly up for grabs, and they had faltered in their quest to make it back to the Finals.

I can’t say adding Durant made Phoenix the favorite in the West, but he nearly carried the Nets to the Finals with both Irving and James Harden injured a couple years ago. If healthy, this team will be extremely dangerous.

The Nets’ perspective:

The Nets were literally an inch or two away from sending Milwaukee home in Game 7 of their second-round series in 2021, which saw the Bucks prevail in overtime after Durant’s foot was on the three-point line on a potential game-winning buzzer-beater. The Bucks went on to win the championship.

There’s an alternate reality where the Nets win the title, and maybe everything is different.

Instead, Harden, Irving and Durant all requested — and were eventually granted — trades.

The Nets are no longer contenders. They have gone 6-10 since the deadline, which is probably worse than I expected, but they did completely remake their team. Adding four players and then immediately inserting them as heavy minutes starters 65% of the way through a season — in the middle of a playoff race — is a pretty rough way to get acclimated.

That said, it’s hard to imagine the Nets getting better value than they did for Irving and Durant.

There’s no way to get equal short-term value for a player of Durant’s caliber. It’s not possible. He’s too great, and teams that are trying to contend obviously aren’t interested in completely mortgaging their present chances.

One of the things I found fascinating about this deal is that it went against conventional thinking. Many league executives believe the offseason is a better time to make a blockbuster deal as opposed to the trade deadline, as more options are available and there are more teams desperate to improve their title chances.

Yet if the rumors of the low-ball offers for Durant in the summer were true, the Suns were far more willing to meet the Nets’ demands in February than they were several months ago, and Brooklyn received an extremely valuable package at a time when only one other unprotected first-round pick swapped hands (the Nets received the Mavs’ 2029 pick as part of the Irving deal).

The Grizzlies reportedly offered four first-round picks for Bridges alone after this deal was announced. We don’t know what the protections might have been on those first-rounders, but it still shows how valued he is by opposing teams.

That value has undoubtedly increased further given the way he has performed since joining the Nets. Through 16 games (34.4 MPG), Bridges is averaging 25.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.6 APG and 0.9 SPG on .496/.439/.892 shooting (.633 TS%).

There were signs that he was broadening his game this season with Phoenix even before the injuries forced him into a larger role, as he was averaging career highs in PPG (17.2) and APG (3.6) to go along with 4.3 RPG and 1.2 SPG on .463/.387/.897 shooting in 56 games (36.4 MPG). But I doubt even Bridges himself saw this breakout coming.

I’ve always admired Bridges because he’s the rare athlete who not only adds to his game and improves every year, but he also maximizes what he’s physically capable of. He has yet to miss a game in his five NBA seasons, a consecutive streak of 381 regular season games (416 including the playoffs).

I will say that expanding his offensive game — and perhaps being worn out from that lengthy streak — has affected his defense. Bridges was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in ‘21/22, and if I were a voter, I wouldn’t have him on either All-Defensive team this year. He still brings a lot of positives, but he hasn’t played at the same level on the less glamorous end of the court.

Still, a 26-year-old wing who might be just entering his prime as he potentially develops into a star, on what is turning out to be an extremely team-friendly contract (he’s in the first season of a four-year, $90MM extension)? Wow. That’s quite a centerpiece.

Johnson is a quality player as well. His scoring efficiency has taken a hit (.434/.336/.800; .576 TS%) because the Nets are lacking in the shot-creation department, but he’s still averaging career highs in PPG (16.5), RPG (5.0), SPG (1.5) and MPG (31.0) through 15 games with Brooklyn.

He is skinny for a power forward (he’s listed at 6’8” and 210 pounds), which can lead to him getting pushed around on the block, and he isn’t a great rebounder, but he has a good understanding of positional defense and is an overall solid defender. Like Bridges, he’s an unselfish ball-mover who very rarely turns it over.

A strong three-point shooter (39% career) who leverages that ability to drive and finish, the former 11th overall pick will be a restricted free agent in the summer. He just turned 27 earlier this month, so he’s theoretically just entering his prime.

I expect the Nets to re-sign him to a deal in the range of what Bridges received after De’Andre Hunter got a similar extension before the season started (I thought Hunter was overpaid given his injury history and inconsistency, but still).

The 2023 first-rounder from Phoenix would currently land at No. 21 overall. That’s fine, but that’s not really what the Nets were after. As previously mentioned, it’s those picks that are several years down the line that hold premium value, as there’s no way to predict what the Suns might look like at that point.

The mechanics of this trade were complicated with so many moving parts. Even though on paper it seems like a two-for-two deal, the Nets were able to treat the parts with Phoenix as two non-simultaneous trades.

By rerouting Crowder and taking back only Bridges and Johnson for Durant, the Nets generated two traded player exceptions — one is worth a modest $1,836,090 (Warren’s cap hit), but the other is the new largest TPE in the league at $18,131,946. That’s the difference in salaries between Durant ($44,119,845) and Bridges ($20,100,000) plus Johnson ($5,887,899).

Flipping Crowder to Milwaukee and then sending three of the five second-rounders to the Pacers also saved the Nets an enormous amount of money toward the luxury tax. In total, this deal cut their tax bill by about $90MM. That’s some impressive bookkeeping by Brooklyn’s front office, because if you can’t legitimately contend, there’s no reason to be paying a massive tax bill.

A possible rising star in Bridges, a plus player in Johnson, four unprotected first-rounders, an unprotected pick swap, two second-rounders, and $90MM in tax savings for a 34-year-old generational superstar who has dealt with significant injuries in each of the past four seasons. A pretty impressive haul, even if the Nets could be searching for another player of Durant’s caliber for many years.

The Bucks’ perspective:

I’m going to keep Milwaukee’s and Indiana’s sides of the deal relatively brief. The Bucks gave up three non-rotation players (one of whom – Nwora – is under contract through next season at $3.2MM) and five second-round picks for a player who started for the team they defeated in the Finals two years ago.

The Bucks had been linked to Crowder for several months, practically as soon as he became publicly available. It was a strange, long, and winding pursuit, but they still ultimately landed him. He later said Milwaukee was his preferred landing spot and that he had no regrets about his lengthy holdout.

Crowder has been a quality 3-and-D forward for several years. He is more of a willing three-pointer shooter than a great one, holding a career mark of 34.7% from deep, but he is a solid defensive player who understands how to play in lots of different schemes.

The 32-year-old is also an underrated passer who rarely turns the ball over – important qualities in a role player. Considering how long he was out, I’ve been pretty impressed with his play thus far for the Bucks, as he’s averaging 6.0 PPG and 4.2 RPG while shooting 39.4% from behind the arc in 11 games (18.7 MPG).

Crowder, who is currently sidelined with a calf injury, is on an $10.18MM expiring contract and will hit unrestricted free agency this summer. The Bucks will have his Bird rights if they want to bring him back.

Five second-round picks seems like a lot for what could be a rental player. But really, only three of those picks have some upside: Indiana’s 2025 pick (sent back to the Pacers), and Milwaukee’s 2028 and 2029 seconds (to Brooklyn).

The 2023 pick is currently 55th overall (via Cleveland) and the 2024 pick will likely be late in the second round as well. Both of those picks are headed to Indiana. The Bucks can just buy second-rounders in the next couple drafts if they really want to (they control their own this year, currently the last pick), but dealing away several at once did reduce their flexibility for future moves. Still, if Crowder helps them win another ring this season, it will have been well worth it.

The Pacers’ perspective:

This trade showed the value of a retooling club operating below the salary cap, as the Pacers waited until the last minute to take advantage of their remaining cap room. They were able to take on Nwora (a player they like), Hill (an Indianapolis native) and Ibaka (who was waived), on top of adding three second-rounders, purely from having the roster and financial flexibility to do it.

A third-year forward out of Louisville, Nwora showed flashes of upside with Milwaukee, but was unable to carve out a consistent role as a young player on a contending team. The 2020 45th overall pick shot 37.6% from deep in 130 games with the Bucks, but didn’t shoot well on twos (43.9%) and struggled at times defensively.

In fairness, it’s hard to be consistent in anything when you never know how long you’re going to play and one mistake might mean you’re benched. That’s not a knock against Nwora or the Bucks — it’s just the reality of a young player trying to learn on the fly for a championship contender.

The 24-year-old has played quite well thus far for the Pacers, averaging 12.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 2.4 APG on .480/.426/.632 shooting through 13 games (22.8 MPG). He has drawn praise from head coach Rick Carlisle, and the Pacers are pretty thin at power forward, so he has a real shot to stick with Indiana. His $3.2MM contract for next season is quite affordable.

Hill, a longtime veteran guard now on his second stint with his hometown team, is on an expiring contract. It remains to be seen if he will find another club next season, but he’s had a long, solid career. For now, he’s a veteran presence on a retooling team.

Ibaka has yet to find a new team after being released by Indiana, and hasn’t been linked anywhere recently to my knowledge either. Unfortunately, the three-time All-Defensive team member hasn’t been the same since undergoing back surgery a couple years ago. He’s had a terrific career, winning a championship as a key reserve for Toronto in 2019.

The Pacers had to waive James Johnson, who they re-signed after he cleared waivers, and second-year forward Terry Taylor to complete the trade. Taylor had a nice run as a rookie last season, but wasn’t playing much this season; he caught on with the Bulls on a two-way deal.

As previously mentioned, a couple of the second-rounders the Pacers received in the deal don’t have a lot of value, and it remains to be seen where their own 2025 pick, which they reacquired in this trade, might land. Still, adding Nwora and three second-rounders without giving anything up was a shrewd move by Indiana, as it’s essentially found money.

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