NBA writer believes Mikal Bridges is “going to be something else” with full year as Brooklyn Nets’ top player
Mikal Bridges will enter his first full year as a member of the Brooklyn Nets this season. He spent the first half of last season with the Phoenix Suns before being dealt to Brooklyn in the Kevin Durant trade.
With Durant and Kyrie Irving – who was also traded a season ago – out of the picture, Bridges has emerged as the Nets' main go-to scorer.
Valley of the Suns writer Luke Duffy said Bridges will be "something else" with a full season as Brooklyn's franchise player:
"This may seem like cheating a little bit, since we’ve already gotten a taste of what Mikal Bridges will look like on the Brooklyn Nets. He's even appeared in the postseason already, but a full year of the 26-year-old as the best player on his own team is going to be something else."
After winning two NCAA championships at Villanova, Bridges was selected by his hometown Philadelphia 76ers with the 10th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He was immediately traded, though, to the Phoenix Suns.
Bridges developed into a top-notch 3-and-D role player for Phoenix, helping the team reach the 2021 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
However, Bridges quickly became the Nets's marquee player after being traded to Brooklyn last February. In 27 games, he averaged 26.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, helping the team make the playoffs.
What should you expect from Mikal Bridges in 2023-24?
Mikal Bridges had several sensational games for the Brooklyn Nets last season. He reached the 40-point mark on three occasions, including a career-high 45 against the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat.
Next season, Bridges could surely emerge as one of the league's top scorers and average roughly 28 points per game.
If that happens, look for him to be a legitimate NBA Most Improved Player of the Year candidate and become an All-Star for the first time in his career.
Expect Bridges to have a fantastic 2023-24 campaign as he puts the Nets on his back and gets the team back to the postseason. This will be the year for "Brooklyn Bridges" to show the world that he's much more than a role player. He's a star.