So far, the Kevin Durant trade has actually worked fairly well for the Nets.
The centerpiece of the deal, Mikal Bridges, has already scored a career-high 45 points. He also scored 23 points (3-5 3P) during his debut with the team, and he has already emerged as a vocal leader in the locker room.
Bridges understood why he was traded and said that he would probably have made that trade to land Durant, too, in an alternate universe in which he was in charge of running basketball operations for the Phoenix Suns.
The extent of his admiration for Durant, however, may not have been fully realized until a recent media day with his new organization. The 26-year-old star was asked who his favorite player was when he was growing up, and his answer was none other than the superstar at the other end of his blockbuster trade.
Mikal Bridges when asked who his favorite athlete growing up was:
"Kevin Durant" 😅😂
(via @BrooklynNets) pic.twitter.com/OA3YNtZ8H8
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 24, 2023
Bridges had to pause before answering the question because he understood just how funny it was, and then he broke out laughing.
The former Villanova star, who found out he was traded from the Suns after a call from one of his former teammates, had a pinned tweet that said he never wanted to leave Phoenix.
What a cruel twist of fate: He only had to leave the only NBA team he had ever played for because he was traded for his favorite player — who he never got a chance to play alongside.
Brooklyn was reportedly offered as many as four first-round picks to re-route Bridges to the Grizzlies, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, but Yahoo’s Jake Fischer added that the organization never seriously considered the offer.
Bridges could be an ideal player for the Nets to build around as they retool their roster, and he could help them win some games during the playoffs as well.
