5 stars the Nets should pair with Mikal Bridges

Highlights

• The Brooklyn Nets’ playoff chances hinge on player performance, Ollie’s impact, and scoring struggles.
• Donovan Mitchell could be a key target for the Nets to address star need and boost their offense this summer.
• Brandon Ingram, Paul George, and Jaylen Brown are all potential trade targets to bolster the Nets’ firepower and talent.

At 21-34, the Brooklyn Nets are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings with just two months until the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Whether the Nets reach the postseason for a sixth consecutive time will be largely dependent upon how players such as Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas perform.

However, the promotion of former assistant Kevin Ollie to interim head coach is also going to impact their season’s outcome. This is not only because of the nature of the head coaching role, though. It’s also because of the reasons his predecessor, Jacquue Vaughn, was fired.

With all of that in mind, the 2023-24 season is a measuring stick for the Nets heading into the summer. Having decided to build around Bridges as a foundational piece in the offseason, Brooklyn may be saved the trouble of a full-fledged coaching search if Ollie exceeds expectations.

Furthermore, the ideal role role for Thomas should become more clear as the season wears on, especially while now playing under a head coach who empowers him rather than one who publicly makes disparaging comments about him.

Nonetheless, no matter how well Bridges, Thomas, or Ollie perform, the Nets’ need for another star is apparent. In fact, the Nets are looking for one or two stars to pair with Bridges, per HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto. Ranked 22nd in points per game (113.0), even while Thomas puts on a Most Improved Player-worthy performance, Brooklyn struggles to keep up with opposing offenses.

In this era of explosive scoring, that would put any team behind the eight-ball. To that point, the Nets are likely already looking at a shortlist of players that could lead the franchise to new heights.

Donovan Mitchell

The Knicks aren’t the only NBA team in New York that could acquire Mitchell

The New York Knicks are often painted as the most feasible destination for Donovan Mitchell if he should leave the Cleveland Cavaliers. Yet, they also pose a threat to Cleveland’s desire to keep the five-time All-Star.

To start, if Mitchell is presumed to be interested in heading to New York because of his northeastern roots, the Nets and Knicks play in the same state. Secondly, it’s difficult to see three high usage and high volume scorers in him, Jalen Brunson, and Julius Randle meshing easily. Lastly, the Nets desperately need a player like Mitchell, while he would be more of a luxury for the Knicks.

As a result, Brooklyn — who has three first-round picks in both the 2027 and 2029 drafts– would be more willing to part with prized assets this offseason.

As for the on-court fit, Mitchell can play as the lead guard or off-guard and still thrive. Such versatility is important as it’s unclear whether Ben Simmons and Thomas will retain their roles as starters next season.

If he starts in place of Simmons, who will be on the final year of an albatross-sized contract, the Nets may be able to start three upper-echelon scorers between him, Thomas, and Mikal Bridges. If he starts in place of Thomas, who will also be in the final year of his contract, Brooklyn will dramatically increase their offensive and defensive ceiling. Mitchell may not be the only player the Nets need to become a winning franchise, but he gets them a lot closer to being one.

Trae Young

The Nets never wanted to trade James Harden; Young would be a newer model

Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young is an interesting case study for NBA stars. At no point in time has Young ever been considered anything other than an offensive engine. A three-level scorer with a tight handle, extraordinary passes, out-the-gym shooting range, and unshakable confidence, Young is an elite player offensively.

However, the questions about the former top-five pick have been focused on his defense and intangibles. Though he’s shown more dedication to the defensive end, he’s still the weakest link among the starters defensively. While point guards are often considered to be the captains of a team, Young’s leadership abilities have left plenty to be desired. In Brooklyn, none of that may matter.

When looking at the criticism that Nets fan-favorite Cam Thomas faces, it’s easy to see Young’s weaknesses being placed under the microscope in Brooklyn. Nonetheless, if one considers the assessment of 10-time All-Star James Harden during his time with the Nets, Young might escape scathing reviews with the magnificent offensive performances he’s capable of.

Like Young, Harden’s defense and intangibles have come under fire in recent years. Yet, Brooklyn only traded Harden because he wanted to leave, not because they wanted him to go. In Young, the Nets will get a newer model of Harden. The type of point guard who plays a brand of basketball that fits the modern era; unlike fellow three-time All-Star, Ben Simmons.

Paul George

The Nets pair two elite two-way players together in George and Bridges

The supremely talented Paul George, a nine-time All-Star, isn’t exactly in a contract dispute. Nonetheless, the 33-year-old has yet to reach an agreement on a contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers despite having a contract option for the 2024-25 season. Subsequently, until George does sign an extension, there’s the possibility that George will leave his homestate Clippers to sign elsewhere, even if it requires him to agree to a sign-and-trade.

More to the point, a sign-and-trade is exactly what it would take for the Nets to sign George. They likely won’t have the cap space to sign him outright. Nonetheless, a player like Cam Johnson could have plenty of value for LA in such a move, especially if they feared they would lose George to a team that did have enough cap space to sign him.

Although George is a bit long in the tooth, the fact that he’s always been one of the best athletes in the NBA has allowed him to remain more explosive than many of his peers. Subsequently, George is able to use his physical tools to his advantage at both ends of the floor.

However, George complements his physical profile with elite guard skills at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds. A skilled ball-handler and jump shooter who’s been a go-to scorer since 2012-13, George would be one-half of a formidable two-way duo in Brooklyn. Though Mikal Bridges isn’t at Kawhi Leonard’s level, the Clippers have demonstrated how successful such a formula can be.

Brandon Ingram

Acquiring silent assassin Ingram could greatly enhance the Nets’ offensive firepower

The New Orleans Pelicans have long been a playoff contender, whether the face of the franchise was Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, or Zion Williamson. However, none of the aforementioned players led a legitimate championship contender.

New Orleans has been forced, or willing, to move on from all of these stars. Indeed, even last offseason, there was plenty of discussion about the future of the Pelicans and whether the team should trade Williamson.

A superb interior scorer with promising playmaking potential, Williamson’s lack of durability and discipline has often left New Orleans miffed. There have also been questions about how New Orleans’ Big Three– Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum– fit together. Not only are all three better with the ball in their hands, they’re each injury-prone and unreliable defensively.

To that point, next season, Ingram will be on the final year of a five-year, $158.3 million contract that he signed with the Pelicans in 2020. Meanwhile, McCollum is under contract until 2026 and Williamson is under contract until 2028. Therefore, Ingram is the most feasible trade candidate if New Orleans were to trade one of their stars.

In doing so, they would likely want a player like Johnson due to how he can increase their defensive ceiling and 3-point proficiency. However, they may also have an interest in Simmons. Not only can he improve the defense and be their long-awaited facilitator as a starting point guard, but he has a large expiring contract they can use as a roster-building tool.

In acquiring Ingram, the Nets will have an elite three-level scorer who knows how to dominate without ball-hogging. Due to both his and Mikal Bridges’ positional versatility, a third volume scorer in Cam Thomas may be able to remain in the starting lineup alongside them.

Jaylen Brown

His reputation precedes him; Brown would be an impressive addition to Brooklyn

Now a 3-time All-Star, Boston Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown’s reputation precedes him. It may cause whiplash, especially when juxtaposed against his record-breaking $303.7 million contract. But to keep it simple, Brown gets the job at both ends of the floor.

Offensively, he can score above the rim or below the rim, using a curated playlist of moves that are less surprising than difficult to stop. He can score from all three levels, having developed into a dangerous 3-point threat. He’s a bit overreliant on his dominant hand and more of a shot-maker than a playmaker. Yet, there aren’t many better scorers in the NBA. On the other end, Brown’s physical profile, technique, and tenacity have led to him becoming one of the best on-ball defenders.

With that said, several contract decisions are looming for the Celtics’ front office. While Brown has posted star numbers during his tenure in Boston, the franchise could view themselves as having strength in numbers. That is to say, the Celtics may prefer to keep as many talented players as possible, rather than rely too much on any one player. Certainly, when considering their acquisitions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis last season, that seems to be the case.

If so, the Brooklyn Nets may be able to pry Brown away from their Atlantic Division rival, pairing Bridges with a bona fide two-way star. At 27 years old, Brown is not only in the prime of his career, but he fits their timeline rather cleanly as a mature though not aged veteran. Furthermore, playing for a team without as many mouths to feed as Boston could lead to Brown posting numbers similar to his 2022-23 campaign, when he averaged a career-high 26.6 points per game.