You really have to feel for Mikal Bridges at this point. His Villanova teams were always in the national spotlight during his college days. He won two national championships with the Wildcats in 2016 and 2018. He helped the Phoenix Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993 during a magical 2020-21 season.
Bridges’ name had been synonymous with winning everywhere he had been. The vibes he brought to the locker room were immaculate. His three-and-D skill set made him a perfect fit on just about any team. The tenacity he played with at both ends of the court is what made him a valued commodity in the NBA. So much so that when Kevin Durant wanted out of Brooklyn last season, the Nets swapped him for Bridges and Cam Johnson in a heartbeat.
Bridges’ initial arrival in Brooklyn was just about as good as it could get. Head coach Jacque Vaughn asked him to do more offensively than he ever had before. Suddenly he was averaging a career-best 26.1 points per game on 47.5/37.6/89.4 splits. Despite trading away Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, Bridges was still able to lead Brooklyn to a sixth seed in the playoffs last season.
Even though the team was ultimately swept by Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers, led by Bridges, it still overachieved and got there. The vibes were still immaculate — until they weren’t.
This season has been a different story for Bridges and company. One of disappointment. One of regression. The Nets are 10 games under .500 with the NBA trade deadline a day away and Bridges — who has started all 50 games for Brooklyn this season — has been forced to carry more than his fair share. On most nights he is asked to be the team’s top scorer, its top wing defender, all while trying to conjure the same infectious energy that made him such a valuable piece early in his NBA career.
Bridges has not been on a team 10 games under .500 since his second season with the Suns. Brooklyn’s postseason hopes appear to be slipping further away each game. He has not shown much life in the locker room or at the podium in recent weeks. That is because there has not been much for him to smile about.
“Obviously we’re not where we want to be right now but there’s still a shot,” Bridges said.
The over-usage is beginning to take its toll on his production. And the physiological shock of being shipped out of Phoenix in exchange for Durant last season — a place where he probably thought he would spend the rest of his NBA career — is probably taking a toll on his mind, too, in some way.
While Bridges is still averaging a healthy 21.9 points through his first 50 appearances, his scoring is certainly down from the 26.1 points he averaged over his first 27 games in a Brooklyn uniform. His effective field goal percentage (.528) is the lowest since his rookie season (.523), although he is attempting more shots than he has at any point in his career (16.9).
But that is the point. Bridges is not a volume scorer. He is not a No. 1 option, though he is talented enough to go off on heaters from time to time. The adjustments Bridges has made to his game in Brooklyn have been out of necessity for the situation he currently finds himself in. The player you see today is not necessarily who he is. Brooklyn also cannot afford to keep him off the court in long stretches, which is part of why he is averaging a career-high 35.3 minutes a night.
Bridges will never say it himself, but to be asked to do so much, and that effort not being reflected in the Nets’ success, must be exhausting. The 27-year-old needs help. Consistent. Reliable. Help. And with the trade deadline Thursday, the Nets still do not have a clear direction. Until Brooklyn gets Bridges some real support beyond Cam Thomas’ scoring, it will undoubtedly continue to stretch him thin.
Bridges has two years left on his current deal and will earn below $25 million each year. Numerous teams around the league have reportedly offered the Nets multiple first-round picks for him. So far all of those offers have been rejected.
