Report: Nets’ Ultimate Plan Is To Add Another Star Or Two Around Mikal Bridges

According to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Brooklyn Nets’ ultimate plan is to add another star or two around Mikal Bridges. 

Scotto sees the Nets building around Bridges, Cameron Johnson and Nic Claxton. 

“There seems to be this false narrative out there that the Brooklyn Nets are building around Mikal Bridges as the No. 1 option,” Scotto said on his podcast. “While Bridges is certainly a part of the core, and I’d include Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton – who, again, the Nets want to re-sign in unrestricted free agency – the ultimate plan is to add another star or two around Bridges via trade or free agency while Bridges is on a team-friendly contract for the next two seasons. Bridges said publicly at practice that he wants to remain a Net and wasn’t raised to want to leave when things get tough.”

The Nets have been heavily linked to Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. One of the top scorers in the NBA, Mitchell has a player option worth $37 million for the 2025-26 season. The All-Star can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025 if he declines that player option. 

“I think the big question people are going to have down the line is it going to be Donovan Mitchell, for example,” Scotto said. “You’d have to wait and see what happens with Cleveland in the playoffs. Obviously, a lot of teams are chomping at the bit thinking there’s a shot that he’d want to leave at some point. I certainly think it’s predicated on what happens with Cleveland in the playoffs.”

Bridges is currently the best player on the Nets. He’s averaging 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists this season while shooting 45.2% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 82.9% from the free-throw line. 

The Nets are only 21-33 this season. They are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings. 

Bridges is averaging 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks in a Nets uniform. He signed a four-year, $90 million extension with the Phoenix Suns in October 2021. 

The Nets fired Jacque Vaughn as head coach and promoted Kevin Ollie to interim head coach. According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Bridges wasn’t a fan of Vaughn’s offense.