Houston offered "several" Nets picks to Brooklyn for Mikal Bridges

Wow, our future Nets picks are going to feel buttsore over almost being traded. I wonder how they'll ever integrate on our team now.

 

Some of it is also politically risky for Nets GM.

Sean Marks got Simmons when Harden walked. Ben had a good comeback game but most of his time in BK has been unavailable, not doing much other than holding their cap space hostage.

Kyrie walked, Nets got a 2029 1st round out of it and two role players in Finney Smith and Dinwinddie. That pick is so far in the future that Marks might not even be around the Nets to use it.

The main piece of the KD trade was Mikal. Some GMs may have offered more than Mikal's worth, but it's possible Sean Marks is being irrational to hold onto a player.


Their org is in limbo when not going full rebuild, and politically speaking Mikal is his biggest prize after Net's big 3 era crumbled. If Sean Marks trades Mikal, he'll have nothing to show for it, other than his draft picks: the PHX picks and whatever Mikal can fetch.

 

If the nets do not trade Bridges they will manage to improve their team for next year with an expiring Simmons contract and the plethora of late round firsts they have. This year's pick is the only one that should be considered a lock for top 14 or so. Their owner has been very stubborn about tanking, so if we can get Bridges now, we should do it.

 

First of all, without know how many picks and what kind of protections were on those picks, it's pointless to feel any type of way about this "report." How else is a GM supposed to understand the perceived value of players around the league unless he makes phone calls and inquires?? Also, it's simply not feasible for the Rockets to physically be the team to make all the Nets picks over the next 4 years, which means there is a burn rate on those picks. At this point, gauging trade value on those picks in order to line up a deal is not showing impatience...it's showing prudence. This roster is not far away from competing for more serious milestones, but needle-moving deals don't fall on your doorstep. It takes time, effort, and diligence to make it happen.

 

I'm really torn on adding Bridges. He would definitely make the team better, sure, but that's not the goal. Any young team can add older FA's to the team and win more games. But the goal is to win a championship, and does Bridges get us closer to eventually winning a championship? And I'm not really sure what the answer to that is. The worst thing we could possibly do is become the Chicago Bulls. They got Caruso, Vucevic, Derozan, Lavine, and for what? What's the purpose of this team? To win 40 games and never make it out of the first round? We have to be really careful not to put ourselves down that path. I'm not too sure Bridges is good enough or young enough to be a good move for us.

 

I wouldn't have wanted to trade for Bridges, but I also understand that the team can't be building for the future in perpetuity. At some point, you have to commit to who you have and try and make a run.

 

Again, if we're going to blow 3 or more FRPs on a deal--go try to get Lauri. I could get excited about that move. At least he is a true impact player. Bridges is not.

 

you're not getting bridges to win a championship. The idea is you're getting him for many of same reasons you gave FVV max and $90 mil to DB. He only has 2 years left on his current deal at a little over $20mil each who is 27 and in his early prime years. Hardly anything to be complain about there

 

I disagree. We already have young pieces that; some are proven, while others are still finding their role and game within the team and it's schemes. Now is the time to trade some of the stockpile we have for (not as young) young proven talent that you wouldn't have to gamble or wait on by drafting.

Ime wants to win and this is the next step in getting us to the playoffs and becoming serious contenders. I am very excite!

 

I didn't say you get him to win a championship, I said get us closer to a championship. Every move you make as a team should move you closer to a championship, for a team like us that means looking at the long term benefits/goals. Just like we aren't winning a championship with FVV, the idea is that he puts us closer because he helps accelerate the development of our other young guys. Long term that puts us closer to a championship. If we add Bridges what does that do for the development of Jalen and/or Cam Whitmore? You're losing minutes and experience for those guys. The same argument could have been made for Dillon Brooks vs Tari Eason, obviously Tari has been hurt a lot of the year but are we even sure Brooks is better than Tari? What if Tari was healthy and we never signed DB and just played Tari at the 3?

It's definitely something to think about is all I'm saying. Every vet you add is potentially stifling the growth of young guys at that same position. So you have to be careful not to add too many vets, and also be aware of who's minutes/development you're stifling.

 

I see similar challenges with Bridges, he is likely looking for 4-5 years contract near max or max.......

Not sure you should do that......I am on the fence, if it was a younger Tatum for sure.....

He looks like a homeless Kawhi with fewer offensive weapons to be fair with you.

He also does not have the sturdy body of Kawhi or Tatum. Probably give Cam a run....

 

i didn't mean to say you did. I was addressing part of your post talking about a championship as the goal

We know every move teams make doesn't exactly move you closer to a championship. There's always different reasons for moves.

 

The problem is also the Nets are very unwilling to trade with Stone again.....it is actually not his fault but Harden's .....

 

So I guess front office has no belief in Jalen just like many Rockets fans.

With the recent play of Cam Whitmore, I see this as a bad trade for us since we can get a better player with those picks from another team.

This trade would mean Jalen would come off the bench with Cam. Not the worst thing in the world and would help us in a win-now situation but Mikal Bridges just will never be a top 5 player in the league. I see him at best #2 or #3 option on a championship roster.

Championship rosters always have good young players to fill out the depth. Even if we don't move these picks, as long as our young core keeps developing at a rapid pace the next couple years, these picks will play that role as our cheap depth.

 

The details are scant in the reporting but I imagine the point was that Brooklyn's picks are more valuable to Brooklyn than any other team because they currently are extremely limited in how they can rebuild. The whole point is those picks should hold more value to Brooklyn than any other team in the league - so let's see HOW valuable they are to Brooklyn. Sounds like they didn't go for it, but I don't fault Houston for trying to see what they could get.

...I get why Brooklyn set an astronomical value on Bridges immediately post trade but I think it's become clear this year that Bridges is a nice player but not necessarily a foundational piece to build around(especially at his age) - especially if you are being forced to build organically around late lottery or even non lottery talent because you traded all your picks away....so I think it's worth at least talking to brooklyn again about what Bridges value is. I wouldn't mind upgrading to Bridges instead of Brooks but agree you don't need to dig too deep into the chest to give away assets for Bridges. This team still isn't a Bridges away from a title and Bridges doesn't solve our biggest problems - we still lack the foundational guy.

 

Those are actually on the table. Sort of. (Dinwiddie)

 

If Bridges is coming here, I don’t see how Jalen isn’t included because he has to take someone’s starting spot. Jalen been playing well lately and I would rather us wait and see if he’s consistent before trading him. I don’t think Ime would let the Rockets trade him without seeing consistency over the next few weeks.

 

“Several picks” could mean a lot of things but say we gave them this year’s pick and next year’s swap back unprotected we are probably losing out on like Donovan Clingan and next year moving from maybe ~18 to ~8.

Bridges is wayyyy more valuable than that. As noted, the picks are worth a lot more to the Nets because they can tank and increase their value vs if we were shopping them to like Utah for Markannen where the Thunder and others can outbid us easily.

 

We don't need another veteran mentor--Fred, Dillon, and Unc are enough. We need to finish out the young core with an eye toward sometime around 2026-2027 through the early 2030s. Get a great group together that will stay together for a long time and build chemistry. Ideally with an impact player, but if we think another one will emerge from our in-house options, then a young bench player or two could do the trick.

 

He’s not the right guy. He is someone you get when you are contending which the Rockets are not.