Brooklyn Nets Make Unfortunate Trade for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and More

The Brooklyn Nets have made a controversial trade with the Phoenix Suns that has many fans feeling pessimistic. In exchange for Kevin Durant and TJ Warren, the Nets have acquired Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap. The trade is not only an unfortunate one for the Nets but also for Durant and Warren. Both players are leaving their respective teams after years of hard work and dedication to their franchises. Durant was part of the Golden State Warriors’ championship run in 2017-18 while Warren was part of the Suns’ resurgence this past season. For Brooklyn, this trade could be seen as a desperate attempt to keep up with other top contenders in the Eastern Conference such as the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers. While it is true that acquiring Bridges, Johnson and Crowder will give them some much needed depth on their roster, it does not necessarily guarantee success in upcoming seasons. Bridges is still relatively young at just 24 years old but he has yet to show any signs of becoming an All-Star caliber player like his former teammate Devin Booker or even an above average starter like CJ McCollum or Jimmy Butler. Johnson had a decent rookie season with Phoenix but he is still unproven as a consistent scorer or shooter from beyond the arc which could hurt Brooklyn’s offense if he fails to improve in those areas. Lastly, Crowder is 31 years old which means his best days are likely behind him so it remains to be seen how effective he can be on defense against younger opponents in the East who possess more athleticism than him at this stage of his career. Overall, this trade may not turn out well for either team involved since both Durant and Warren were fan favorites who brought valuable contributions to their respective teams over multiple seasons while none of Brooklyn’s new acquisitions seem capable of making similar impacts right away despite having some potential upside down the line. As such, many Nets fans will undoubtedly remain pessimistic about their team's chances moving forward despite what appears to be an exciting new addition to their roster on paper.