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Brooklyn Nets still without a first-round pick in the 2024 draft
On Wednesday before the draft, the Nets parted ways with their best player, Mikal Bridges, who only came to Brooklyn in February 2023 in the mega deal for Kevin Durant along with five first-round picks. There, the elite defender showed his offensive qualities in a bigger role than ever before, putting up 26.1 points on 47.5 percent from the field in his first 27 games as a Net.
In his first full season for Brooklyn, he averaged 19.6 points, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals on 43.6 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from downtown, despite the Nets’ lack of overall harmony. The wing star has not missed a single game since high school and is therefore probably highly valued by Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.
New York paid a total of five first-round picks for Bridges, four of them unprotected. The soon-to-be 28-year-old is under contract until 2026 and will earn $23.3 million and then $24.9 million in the next two seasons.
According to Jake Fischer (Yahoo Sports), Bridges had never asked for a trade, but the Knicks’ offer was too good to refuse. The Nets had already rejected several offers of up to four first-round picks at another time and had not even seriously considered them; the Jazz and Rockets were apparently among the interested parties at the time. The Nets probably received the largest trade package from the Knicks for a player who has never been an All-Star.
However, the Nets still do not have a first-round pick in this year’s draft. That could still change, for example with the help of the Cavaliers. According to Chris Fedor (Cleveland.com), Cleveland is very interested in Cameron Johnson; they have the 20th pick. The 28-year-old forward put up 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds last season on 44.6 percent from the field and 44.6 percent from downtown in 27.6 minutes (58 games for the Nets).
2024-06-26 18:30:00
#Dennis #Schröder #Brooklyn #Nets #trade #candidate #Mikal #Bridges
