Bleacher Report Mikal Bridges Trade Idea
- Thread starter Tetsujin
- Start date
Yeah, if Bridges were gettable, even at three first rounders, without having to give up a major piece, I think you do this as soon as you're able. Fox/Bridges/Murray/Sabonis is a tasty core of four. Is it the core of an eventual title contender? I don't know. But I also don't know that you could do any better on the trade market without having to part with Keegan.
Bridges is miscast as a #1 option right now. But as a #2 option, allowing Keegan to stay as a #3 option, and allowing Domas to continue as a facilitator? Yes please!! In fact Bridges fits like a glove. He has shown that he can get his own offense if needed (which this team needs, especially in non-Fox minutes), but I think he actually plays just as well, if not better, as an off ball cutter and shooter. He would play so well off of Domas, with the ability to slide up into more of a lead scorer in the 14-16 minutes Fox is sitting.
And Bridges and Keegan as your wing defenders??? Absolutely! And having Bridges firepower in the starting lineup allows you to keep Monk on the bench for the second unit and potentially replace Huerter with a low usage defender who can alleviate some of Fox's burden on D (Keon, anyone??)
And Bridges and Keegan as your wing defenders??? Absolutely! And having Bridges firepower in the starting lineup allows you to keep Monk on the bench for the second unit and potentially replace Huerter with a low usage defender who can alleviate some of Fox's burden on D (Keon, anyone??)
In that scenario, I think you'd start Keon at the 2 and then close with Monk. Keon-Mikal-Keegan wing defense? Yeeaaap, that's about as good a grouping you can put around Fox/Domas.
I think you'd find a spot for Huerter, maybe get a pick back and then it's just all on the young guys to step up and claim a rotation spot. Keon/Kessler/Colby, etc. Hope Sasha comes back strong for an annoying injury season.
I think you'd find a spot for Huerter, maybe get a pick back and then it's just all on the young guys to step up and claim a rotation spot. Keon/Kessler/Colby, etc. Hope Sasha comes back strong for an annoying injury season.
I think this gets beat pretty easily by other teams.
Also, Bridges at SF, Murray at PF, and Sabonis at C is still too undersized for my liking. I’d much rather have Bridges at SG, Murray at SF, ??? at PF, and Sabonis at C. That at least gives you great size/length at SG and SF (and you could also have great size/length at PF depending on you get to play that spot).
Considering I’d prefer to start Bridges at SG, I’d rather move Huerter in the trade (vs. Barnes) since we’d have Fox, Bridges, Huerter, Monk, and Ellis to play at PG and SG. I’d rather trim that down to a tight 4 guard rotation (Fox, Bridges, Monk, Ellis) and have someone like Barnes to help bolster the frontcourt (while we look for a better long term fit at PF).
Another idea would be…
Mikal Bridges
Dorian Finney-Smith
for
Kevin Huerter
Sasha Vezenkov
Davion Mitchell
Chris Duarte
2025 SAC 1st
2027 SAC 1st
2029 SAC 1st
2031 SAC 1st
…that would leave us with a roster of…
PG - Fox / Ellis
SG - Bridges / Monk / Jones
SF - Murray / Barnes
PF - Finney-Smith / Lyles
C - Sabonis
Also, Bridges at SF, Murray at PF, and Sabonis at C is still too undersized for my liking. I’d much rather have Bridges at SG, Murray at SF, ??? at PF, and Sabonis at C. That at least gives you great size/length at SG and SF (and you could also have great size/length at PF depending on you get to play that spot).
Considering I’d prefer to start Bridges at SG, I’d rather move Huerter in the trade (vs. Barnes) since we’d have Fox, Bridges, Huerter, Monk, and Ellis to play at PG and SG. I’d rather trim that down to a tight 4 guard rotation (Fox, Bridges, Monk, Ellis) and have someone like Barnes to help bolster the frontcourt (while we look for a better long term fit at PF).
Another idea would be…
Mikal Bridges
Dorian Finney-Smith
for
Kevin Huerter
Sasha Vezenkov
Davion Mitchell
Chris Duarte
2025 SAC 1st
2027 SAC 1st
2029 SAC 1st
2031 SAC 1st
…that would leave us with a roster of…
PG - Fox / Ellis
SG - Bridges / Monk / Jones
SF - Murray / Barnes
PF - Finney-Smith / Lyles
C - Sabonis
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Totally agree. It doesn’t make sense to sell Bridges for a rebuilding package when a lot of their picks are owned by HOU.
I think them moving off Finney-Smith may be more likely considering he’ll be 31 at the start of next year. I’m wondering if they’d be interested in a Huerter for Finney-Smith type trade in the offseason? Huerter will be 26 at the start of next season and will have 2 years remaining on his deal. While Finney-Smith will essentially be an expiring (I’m not expecting him to pickup his player option for the 2025-26 season).
You could then promote Ellis to the starting SG spot and have a roster of…
PG - Fox / Mitchell
SG - Ellis / Monk / Jones
SF - Murray / Barnes / Duarte
PF - Finney-Smith / Vezenkov
C - Sabonis / Lyles
Fox, Ellis, Murray, and Finney-Smith would be a lot of defense, length, and versatility around Sabonis while still being to effectively space the floor. And it still leaves the door open for Murray to grow into that go-to option. Then you have a very deep bench led by Monk and Barnes as your bench scorers (what a luxury).
I kind of like this idea because I think it addresses our weaknesses (size, length, & defense at SG and PF) without touching any of our future 1sts. It would mainly be about Murray developing at that point, and if he doesn’t develop into the go-to option we need, we’d still be able to leverage those 1sts to try and trade for that player.
I think them moving off Finney-Smith may be more likely considering he’ll be 31 at the start of next year. I’m wondering if they’d be interested in a Huerter for Finney-Smith type trade in the offseason? Huerter will be 26 at the start of next season and will have 2 years remaining on his deal. While Finney-Smith will essentially be an expiring (I’m not expecting him to pickup his player option for the 2025-26 season).
You could then promote Ellis to the starting SG spot and have a roster of…
PG - Fox / Mitchell
SG - Ellis / Monk / Jones
SF - Murray / Barnes / Duarte
PF - Finney-Smith / Vezenkov
C - Sabonis / Lyles
Fox, Ellis, Murray, and Finney-Smith would be a lot of defense, length, and versatility around Sabonis while still being to effectively space the floor. And it still leaves the door open for Murray to grow into that go-to option. Then you have a very deep bench led by Monk and Barnes as your bench scorers (what a luxury).
I kind of like this idea because I think it addresses our weaknesses (size, length, & defense at SG and PF) without touching any of our future 1sts. It would mainly be about Murray developing at that point, and if he doesn’t develop into the go-to option we need, we’d still be able to leverage those 1sts to try and trade for that player.
This listed team is a play-in team! I mean this one, copy/pasting below from the post you quoted...
PG - Fox / Mitchell
SG - Ellis / Monk / Jones
SF - Murray / Barnes / Duarte
PF - Finney-Smith / Vezenkov
C - Sabonis / Lyles
Where is the scoring power here?
Are you projecting Murray to become a 30 PPG scorer? That's what will be needed if this team is to have success.
I don't think that's likely.
PG - Fox / Mitchell
SG - Ellis / Monk / Jones
SF - Murray / Barnes / Duarte
PF - Finney-Smith / Vezenkov
C - Sabonis / Lyles
Where is the scoring power here?
Are you projecting Murray to become a 30 PPG scorer? That's what will be needed if this team is to have success.
I don't think that's likely.
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Fox, Monk, Domas Keegan score quite a bit of points and is all the offensive creation youll ever need. HB and Huerter are good offensive players, but we pretty much don't rely on them at all this season on a game to game basis.
Hb and Huerter are 22.8 points this season on solid efficiency. Dorian Finney Smith is 8-10 points pretty much every year and I'd very much bet on Keon being 7-10 PPG with starters minutes.
So, at a max, let's say Keon and DFS were 15 PPG combined. You don't think between our top 4, Lyles, Sasha, Davion, any new acquisition could fill that 7.8 PPG gap? And we become a totally transformed defensive team
Hb and Huerter are 22.8 points this season on solid efficiency. Dorian Finney Smith is 8-10 points pretty much every year and I'd very much bet on Keon being 7-10 PPG with starters minutes.
So, at a max, let's say Keon and DFS were 15 PPG combined. You don't think between our top 4, Lyles, Sasha, Davion, any new acquisition could fill that 7.8 PPG gap? And we become a totally transformed defensive team
The Kings are still a question mark as to how the scoring translates to playoff ball. So far in the games that mirror that type of ball the scoring goes down as does their offensive efficiency and when it does it's not typically a good result for them.
That said, with Keon showing out, one would have to be interested in the idea of a defensive core of Keon, Murray and maybe DFS because it might actually balance out in the end. If Keon keeps this up, I would be all for the Kings throwing whatever it took outside of Keegan to land someone like Bridges though. Keon, Bridges, and Murray next to Fox and Domas is not only a great fit but great balance.
That said, with Keon showing out, one would have to be interested in the idea of a defensive core of Keon, Murray and maybe DFS because it might actually balance out in the end. If Keon keeps this up, I would be all for the Kings throwing whatever it took outside of Keegan to land someone like Bridges though. Keon, Bridges, and Murray next to Fox and Domas is not only a great fit but great balance.
I mean, I don't think last year was a super fair representation. Fox broken finger after game 4 and Domas wasn't close to 100% either.
Assuming they get into the playoffs with non-broken fingers/bruised sternum/black eyes, a new Monk/Keegan, we should look like a vastly different club this year in the playoffs. AND it still took a 50 piece from an all-time great to knock us out.
Assuming they get into the playoffs with non-broken fingers/bruised sternum/black eyes, a new Monk/Keegan, we should look like a vastly different club this year in the playoffs. AND it still took a 50 piece from an all-time great to knock us out.
The offense dropped in the playoffs and has dropped this year. The question isn't beating the Warriors last season (especially considering what appears to be their current decline), the question is whether or not the Kings are a contender and if not, how to get there. This year the Kings are like 0-8 or something when scoring less than 100. Every metric indicates scoring is the difference regardless. It was last year, it is this year so far.