Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges weren’t oblivious about what was about to happen if Kevin Durant joined the Phoenix Suns. Joining the ‘Run Your Race’ podcast recently, Johnson admitted both he and Bridges were well aware they would be traded. The player even revealed that the two came to accept this reality rather quickly during a weight training session. The following is what the player had to say, as seen in the X [Formerly Twitter] post by Clutchpoints.
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“Me and Mikal [Bridges] both knew [that we would be traded]. ‘Kal’ and I were saying, when KD [Kevin Durant] initially requested a trade, this was June 30th or something, early July, we’re back, lifting at the practice facility in Phoenix. And we go get breakfast afterward. We’re sitting in ‘First Watch’. And I’m just like, ‘Bro like, if this trade happens, I think it’s both of us’. And he’s like ‘yeah’.
‘I don’t see any situation where it would be one or the other, or something. I think it would be both of us. With other players, with other picks, whatever, but I think it would be both of us’. And we’re like, ‘yeah’.”
Theo Pinson: “Did you know you were gonna be a part of it?”
Cam Johnson: “YES. Me and Mikal both knew…If this trade happens, I think it’s both of us.”
Cam on Kevin Durant finding his way to the Suns.
(via @TidalLeague) pic.twitter.com/nnYoyLaDb6
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 8, 2023
Cam Johnson then went on to talk about how it helped that he and Bridges were getting traded together rather than being divided up, even saying that “it meant everything” to him.
He explained that a lot of the NBA life is one where you are a little on auto-pilot and comfortable in your routine. However, when a trade happens, everything changes, and there is a whole lot to figure out. Fortunately for Johnson, he had a close friend with him on the journey.
Mikal Bridges’s reaction to the trade was a sad one
Before he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, it was clear that Bridges was enjoying his time with the Phoenix Suns. So, suffice it to say, even if he knew it was going to happen, he wasn’t the happiest man on the planet. Right after the trade was confirmed, he posted the following on X.
Omygod lol
— Mikal Bridges (@mikal_bridges) February 9, 2023
That said, it didn’t take long for the player to see the opportunity presented to him. After taking some time to acclimatize, the following is what he told Bleacher Report about his outlook on the situation.
“At the time in Phoenix, I like what we had there,” Bridges said, ” but it’s … adversity. You go through it, adversity, in life, and I think it just helped me and Cam [Johnson] get a little jump start to more of our careers. Maybe just a little faster than we thought.”
