A year on from being traded to Brooklyn, Mikal Bridges’ name popped up frequently in trade talks before the deadline closed earlier this month – with the Nets keen to build around their ironman forward, enjoying a career-year as scoring leader. They’ve now dismissed head coach Jacque Vaughn, with Kevin Ollie’s promotion coming as they plot the future after a tough losing stretch.
Ollie in hotseat as Nets make another change
- Quick turnaround… Brooklyn assistant Kevin Ollie’s promotion to interim head coach officially starts today, when he runs the Nets’ practice before taking charge of their next game away vs. Toronto on Thursday night
- 28 games left: Hope remains the ball club (21-33) can shift such stagnant fortunes after losing six of their last eight before the All-Star break
- Vaughn, who replaced heavily criticised first-time head coach Steve Nash at the helm, only signed a four-year contract extension this past offseason but Ime Udoka (Houston Rockets) was their first choice coaching option
- Nets players reportedly losing confidence in his abilities to deliver coupled with an alarming 6-18 record over their last 24 games spelled disaster for the 49-year-old, who had been coaching there since 2016
MIKAL Bridges could’ve been traded to Houston, the Memphis Grizzlies or a whole host of other interested suitors but Brooklyn were unequivocal about their stance: he’s not for sale, at any price – even a hoard of first-round draft picks.
There’s something admirable about that, at a time where it’s all too easy for middling teams to do a full reset and worry about the long-term consequences later.
They tried and saw their superteam plans blew up spectacularly and Bridges represents an unexpected beneficiary of that expensive mistake.
Bridges’ season stats to date:
21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists (all career-highs)
45.2 FG%, 37.1 3P% and 52.8 eFG%
Currently averaging 35.2 MPG in 54 regular season games
Multiple sources suggest they’ll try to pair the two-way wing with star teammates this coming offseason, especially aware they’re in a favourable destination for free agents and Damian Lillard’s interest before the Milwaukee trade is evidence of that too.
Yahoo Sport’s Jake Fischer reported that with many existing players upset with their offensive structure, not doing too much to change at once midseason can work in their favour when appealing to potential acquisitions.
They traded for World Cup-winning point guard Dennis Schroder, offloading Spencer Dinwiddie (Lakers) and later waiving Thaddeus Young (Suns) while it’s easy to forget Ben Simmons and Cam Thomas feature on this existing roster.
2021 NBA champion Mike Budenholzer and James Borrego have been named as potential permanent head coaching options once the summer months hit, assuming Kevin Ollie hasn’t done a memorable job to maintain that spot as his own.
Brooklyn possess considerable cap space and draft assets to build around him, while there are only three contracts on the books for 2025-26 — including Bridges — that show flexibility as their core group are still forming, headed by Nic Claxton.
Picture source: ESPN, quotes hyperlinked unless stated
Mo and Sports 