Trade Proposal Sends Mikal Bridges To Pacers, Bennedict Mathurin And TJ McConnell To Nets

One NBA analyst proposed that the Indiana Pacers acquire Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets this offseason. 

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Pacers and Nets:

Indiana Pacers Receive: Mikal Bridges

Brooklyn Nets Receive: T.J. McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker, Utah’s 2027 second-round pick, 2028 first-round pick (top-seven protection; turns into 2028 second-rounder if not conveyed), Dallas’ 2028 second-round pick, Portland’s 2029 second-round pick, 2030 first-round pick (top-10 protection; turns into 2030 and 2031 second-rounders if not conveyed)

“Indiana shouldn’t have a problem surrendering this much. Mathurin (right shoulder injury) and Walker were not integral cogs in the team’s conference finals run, and both have seen their big-picture fits thrown into question,” Favale wrote. “Even without McConnell, Mathurin’s playing time will be capped if the Pacers are invested in the defense they get from Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard. Walker will struggle to carve out minutes if both Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin (restricted) stick around.

“Including two first-rounders and seconds on top of both, not to mention McConnell, is steep. But the absence of any swaps ensures Indiana can take stabs at first-round depth in alternating years. Oh yeah, and then there’s the whole ‘You suddenly have a core of Bridges, Nembhard, Siakam, Sheppard, probably Toppin, Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner‘ thing. Aside from the Boston Celtics, show me a team you’re absolutely certain would be better off than that version of the Pacers.”

Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.4 blocks this season while shooting 43.6% from the field, 37.2% from beyond the arc and 81.4% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $23.3 million next season. 

One of the top two-way wings in the NBA, Bridges has career averages of 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks with the Phoenix Suns and Nets. He was the 10th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. 

“Forthcoming windfalls for Siakam (2024), Toppin (2024), Turner (2025) and Nembhard (2025-26 team option) could prompt Indy to worry,” Favale wrote. “That’s fair. But Bridges won’t be due his own raise for another two years. That’s a window long enough in which to figure things out. And who knows, maybe Bridges pulls a Dejounte Murray and extends off his current contract.

“Reconciling this for Brooklyn is, quite predictably, much tougher. Make no mistake, it is a real offer. It’s also beatable. Other teams have more draft equity to unload. But unless the Nets are talking shop with the Rockets, they won’t control their own firsts until 2028. Any long-term leanings will still gravitate toward actual players when they don’t have the incentive to tank.”

The Nets missed the playoffs this year, while the Pacers lost to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals in four games.